A letter written by one of three Palestinian Fulbright students who had their U.S. student visas canceled last week was printed in the San Diego Union-Tribune yesterday.

Fidaa Abed, who was anticipating a Masters Degree in Computer Science from UC San Diego, writes:

Last week, I landed in Washington, D.C., brimming with optimism. Upon arrival, I was whisked into a separate room. An American official informed me that he had just received information about me that he could not reveal. However, it required him to put me on the next plane home. I was shocked. And I was taken aback at the cruelty of snatching away my educational dreams at the last possible moment.

I’d like to mention that four other Gaza Fulbright students passed their security clearances and are currently studying in the United States.  Why Fidaa Abed didn’t pass still hasn’t been revealed but it should be noted that it wasn’t a blanket decision to block ALL of the Palestinian Fulbright scholars from attending American universities.

Who does Mr. Abed blame?

Israel tightened economic restrictions in 2006 following the election victory of Hamas. Hoping to weaken Hamas, Israel has gradually tightened restrictions on freedom of goods and people from the Gaza Strip to the outside world, maintaining a near total blockade on some 1.5 million Palestinian civilians for more than a year.

Thankfully, I have received support from people around the world. Journalists have wanted to hear my story. The American officials who saw me in Amman and Jerusalem upon my return were friendly and seemed embarrassed by my predicament.

Despite my treatment, I know that most Americans are kind people who mean well. What happened to me runs contrary to the good will exhibited by the American people. Israeli policies that relegate Palestinians in Gaza to prison-like conditions and Palestinians in the West Bank to an apartheid-like existence do not advance the cause of peace. The United States should use its tremendous sway with Israel to advance the cause of freedom and equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

According to Mr. Abed, the United States is under the thumb of Israel and the reason he was declined a visa was simply because Israel didn’t like the glisten in his eyes.

Stop pulling at my heart strings, fella.  The truth will be revealed all in due time.

Continue reading complete letter here.

U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv

Haaretz did a nice write up this morning detailing the events leading towards the cancellation of the three Palestinian Fulbright scholar’s U.S. visas.

You can read it in its entirety here, or, I’ll highlight the important bits below….

• Two and a half months ago, Israel denied seven Palestinians entry to the U.S. Embassy for a visa interview (which is standard procedure for all foreigners seeking entry to the United States).
• Ms. Condi Rice gets involved, concerned that Israel is unfairly judging the students, and pulls some strings to get them the interview and, ultimately, visas.  (After a gambit of Israeli-American security checks, of course).
• Four students make it to America to study… the other three stayed in limbo due to “a problematic security background”.
• Last Sunday (August 3rd) two of the students were flown to Jordon to avoid further issues with the American administration.  The Israeli government worked hard to get the students to Jordon under intense pressure from American diplomats.
• When the students arrived at the Israeli border crossing en route to Jordon, the Israelis checked the Palestinian’s passports only to find they were expired! Israel notes the American diplomats failed to notice this simple step prior to the student’s arrival at the crossing.
  
• The students are held up in Jordon because their arrival was not properly coordinated by the American Embassy. The embassy firmly denies that any misstep was made with Jordon.
• Later, an American diplomat waited for the students who did not arrive on time having been delayed for 12 hours in Jordon.  At 8pm when the border is normally shut down for the night, the diplomat reportedly sat on the ground (literally) when asked to come back the next day and said, “I’m not interested, I’m not moving from here until they open the bridge”.   Jokes about temper-tantrums ensued.
• Several days later, all three visas were revoked for unknown reasons.  Officials vaguely cite security concerns but are unable to provide specific information.  One student managed to get on a flight to the United States but upon arrival in Washington (12 hour flight), he was advised by border control that his visa was expired.

In the end, Israel details the absurdity of the Americans handling of the situation. It wouldn’t be first time we’ve looked so clumsy. I’m still waiting on details of the security concerns though.

In a hilarious turn of fate, three Palestinian Fulbright scholars have their U.S. entry visas canceled. The only reason this is worth mentioning is because of Ms. Condi Rice’s valiant attempt at playing the hero by getting the visas for them in the first place.

But instead of becoming a heroine, the queen bee got side swiped…

Rice had been infuriated when State Department officials canceled the
Fulbright scholarships of seven Palestinian students whom Israel had refused to let leave Gaza for their visa interviews.

After she took their cases to senior Israeli officials, Israel allowed four of the seven to travel to Jerusalem for interviews in June. Although Israel opposed the move, U.S. diplomats then made a rare trip to the Gaza border in July to interview the remaining three.

But in the end, Israel won out.

“There were four Palestinians who were issued visas about whom we then received additional information,” State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said.

“We decided that we needed to take a closer and harder look at them in light of the additional information we received,” said Gallegos.

The official reason for the visa refusal?

…the visas were canceled under a prudential revocation clause in immigration rules that allows them to be rescinded based on information gleaned about the holders after they were issued.

What a mess of words that is! Gleaned?? Prudential revocation?? Let me translate for you: “The visas were canceled because we said so. na na na na na! “.

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