U.S. Attacks Fulbright Students

Palestinian Fulbright scholars Zuhair Abu Shaaban, 24, right, Fidaa Abed 23, left, and Osama Daoud, 25, wait to cross the Erez Border crossing in order to meet U.S. consular officials at the Jewish sector of the border, Thursday, 10 July 2008.

5 August 2008

Three Palestinians who won prestigious scholarships to study in the United States have had their American entry visas revoked after alleged "new information" was received about them, a U.S. diplomat said on Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had previously championed efforts by the three Fulbright scholars, residents of the Gaza Strip, to secure exit permits through the Jewish sector.

"We discovered new information that led us to revoke those visas prudentially," said an official at the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, without disclosing the information or where it came from.

The three scholars, Zuhair Abu Shaban, Fida Abed and Osama Daoud, received visas after being interviewed and fingerprinted by U.S. consular officials last month at Erez crossing.

"They gave us the visas on July 30 and two days later we were told the visas were not valid," Shaban, who wants to pursue a second degree in electrical engineering.

"It was a great shock. We had hoped to complete our studies, especially after we were granted the visas. We were packing our bags."

According to Shaban, Abed had flown to the United States via to Jordan, only to be turned back at the airport.

The three were among seven Gazan’s awarded Fulbright scholarships this year.

Four of the seven students travel to the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem for visa interviews but, citing alleged security needs, denied permits to Shaban, Abed and Daoud.

The U.S. consulate official said another Palestinian who planned to study under a different program in the United States had also had his visa revoked. All four students could reapply at a later date, the U.S. official said.

Update:

Gaza Fulbright scholars appeal for US visas

7 August 2008

Three Fulbright scholars from Gaza appealed to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday to reissue their entry visas, denying they were security threats.

The three were initially issued with entry visas to pursue their Fulbright scholarships after a months-long diplomatic tussle between the State Department and Israel.

But the students' entry visas were suddenly canceled after U.S. officials said they received new information suggesting the three were security threats. Israeli and U.S. officials would not give details of the new information.

"We do not understand why, and we do not understand what changed," Zuheir Abu Shaban, a 23-year-old graduate of engineering, wrote to Rice on behalf of the group. He denied he and his colleagues were security threats.