Eight Palestinians in Gaza have lost their Fulbright scholarships

[MikeWB]

Eight Palestinians in Gaza have lost their Fulbright scholarships

The New York Times <http://www.aaiusa.org/page/m/694778419ddd61b5/ZtQ9GE/VEsH/>  and AP <http://www.aaiusa.org/page/m/694778419ddd61b5/RdvzG3/VEsE/>  reported that eight Palestinians in Gaza have lost their Fulbright scholarships.Why?

Because the Israeli government would not let them out of Gaza, and the U.S. government never lifted a finger to help resolve the situation - and that is the most shameful aspect of the whole affair. U.S. silence.

Born of the same type of anti-Arab bias that fuels attacks on kaffiyehs in ads, this time it frustrated the purpose of one of the most prestigious U.S. public diplomacy programs, U.S. efforts to promote peace and build Palestinian civil institutions, and shattered the dreams of eight promising young people - people who are exactly what U.S. policy depends on.  "I was building my hope on this scholarship," says one disappointed young woman who, according to the article in the New York Times, voluntarily remained in Gaza even as her family fled.

The Fulbright program provides life-changing opportunities for young men and women all over the world. Palestinians should not be denied the right to participate in this because of Israeli obstructionism, and the U.S. should not be silent in the face of this Israeli behavior.