Hamas bans Gaza students studying abroad

[oberliner]

Gaza’s rulers have barred travel by a group of teenagers who were awarded scholarships to study in the United States, a Palestinian rights group says.

If confirmed, the move represents a trend toward authoritarianism on the part of the militant Hamas leadership in the isolated Palestinian territory, according to Khaled Elgindy, visiting scholar at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.

“I think it is significant… it's part of a pattern that Hamas is engaging in that has really intensified in the last several months, where they have become increasingly insecure."

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said the eight students, ages 15 to 17, were awarded scholarships from the YES program run by AMIDEAST, a U.S. independent nonprofit that does some work on State Department grants. Chosen on academic merit, the teens were slated to study one year in the United States, they said.

But the Minister of Education has denied permission to leave the country for “social and cultural reasons” according to the rights group, which said it had been involved in intensive efforts to get the students approval from the government.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44179843/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/#.Tk2eY-brN2M

[King_David]

1. What an understatement :

'a trend toward authoritarianism on the part of the militant Hamas leadership '

[provis99]

2. can't have Palestinians learing something other than Hamas propaganda.

Hamas has no credibility at all; it's anti-human at its core.

[DesertFlower]

6. i agree. nt

[fascisthunter]

3. interesting that Hamas is getting so much attention right now

did the Israeli government kill a bunch of Palestinians again?

[King_David]

4. ...

:puke:

[bemildred]

5. UN Vote. nt

[Violet_Crumble]

7. That's one point Hamas and the Israeli govt seem to see eye-to-eye on...

For different reasons of course, but I do recall a fair while ago that there were some threads in this forum about how the Israeli govt wasn't allowing Gazan students to leave and take up scholarships in the US...

[azurnoir]

8. It's unfortunate to say the least for these kids

there should be freedom of education for all, Hamas nor anyone else should interfere

[LeftishBrit]

12. Agree.

[Alamuti Lotus]

9. "does some work on State Department grants" -- there's a big fat red flag there

prudent move.

[oberliner]

10. "This decision contradicts basic human rights standards" - Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

PCHR denounces this decision and:

1. Calls upon the Prime Minister in Gaza to intervene promptly in order to annul this decision and to give instructions to facilitate the travel of these students in fear for missing this opportunity offered to them.

2. Believes that this decision violates basic human rights standards and the Palestinian Basic Law and amendments thereto which guarantee the right to education and the right to freedom of movement.

3. Believes that it is neither acceptable nor logical that, while we are struggling to break the illegal blockade imposed on Gaza by the Israeli occupation forces, we impose illegal restrictions on the enjoyment of the right to education and the right to freedom of movement.

http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7653:pchr-denounces-gaza-ministry-of-educations-decision-to-prevent-students-having-scholarships-to-study-in-usa-from-leaving-gaza-&catid=36:pchrpressreleases&Itemid=194

[LeftishBrit]

13. 'Prudent' maybe; supportive of their citizens' rights, no.

I'm sure the Israeli government restricts Palestinian rights out of 'prudence' too. If it's wrong for Israel to do it, it's also wrong for Hamas to do it.

[shira]

11. Nice. Hamas blockades its own students. I wonder if that's legal or not. n/t