Rice says to check on Fulbright report

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday she would investigate a report that the State Department had withdrawn coveted scholarship grants to Palestinian students in Gaza.

A report in the International Herald Tribune newspaper said the State Department had withdrawn Fulbright scholarships to Palestinian students hoping to pursue advanced degrees at American institutions this fall, because Israel had not granted permission for the students to leave Gaza.

The newspaper, the global edition of The New York Times, said seven Gazans had been notified of the cancellation. The report said Israel's restriction was in keeping with its policy of isolating Gaza, which is run by the militant group Hamas.

"I had not known this, and I'll look into it," Rice told reporters on her plane while flying from Stockholm, where she attended an international conference on Iraq.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSL3088081720080530

[ret5hd]

1. Would another word for "Gaza" be "ghetto"?

[PDJane]

2. No. Another word for Gaza is 'Gaol'

unless, of course, you're talking about "Warsaw Ghetto," in which case, yes.

[leftchick]

3. Yeah right!

these poor people. Condi won't do SHIT for them. :(

<shit>

An Israeli military spokesman said the U.S. made the decision about the scholarships on its own, but confirmed that only urgent humanitarian cases are allowed through Gaza's crossings and that does not include students.

"We are extremely sorry that we are unable to finalize your scholarship at this time, and hope you will reapply next year and be able to complete your studies in the U.S.," read the letter received Thursday by another one of the eight students from the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem.

Abu Kawik's said her family, living in the United Arab Emirates, has repeatedly asked her to leave Gaza. But she insisted on staying because of her hopes for the Fulbright grant.

"Now I don't know what to do — to wait by myself in Gaza for another year with no guarantee what the answer will be?" Abu Kawik said. "Actually I just don't know. I was astonished at how the United States government cannot get a few students out of Gaza."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/gaza_fulbright_scholars

[rurallib]

4. well she shut up the reporters - mission accomplished

[sinkingfeeling]

5. "Once I have confirmed this is true, I will then do nothing to rectify it because we have such a

strong ally in Israel," she said.

[katerinasmommy]

6. This is disgusting

Defending yourself is one thing, repression is another. Or are they trying to claim that these students are dangerous terrorists that must be isolated?

[lark]

7. Are there no depths

to which our present government won't go? Their perfidity knows no limits!