Press Release: The IAB calls on the Israeli government to reconsider the request of Ms. Sawsan Salameh, 13. Oktober, 2006

Bar-Ilan University (RA) International Advisory Board

forAcademic Freedom (IAB)

Press Release, 13 October 2006

The IAB calls on the Israeli government to reconsider the request of Ms. Sawsan Salameh

The International Advisory Board for Academic Freedom (IAB)- Bar Ilan University – calls on the government of Israel to restore individual reviews of Palestinian students requests to study in Israeli universities and in particular regarding Ms. Sawsan Salameh.

According to the New-York Times on 11^th of October, 2006 (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/11/world/middleeast/11palestinians.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin ),
Ms. Sawsan Salameh, 29, a Palestinian student from the West Bank that had received a full scholarship for doctoral studies in theoretical chemistry at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was denied a permit to travel to Israel to pursue her studies. The NYTimes reports that the denial did not result from a specific review of her request, but was due to a general new policy of the Israeli army that does not allow Palestinian students to study in Israeli Universities due to security reasons.

The IAB is aware of security aspects that may affect such permits but asks for a fair review of each case and not a sweeping policy that denies in toto any attempt of Palestinian students to study in Israel.

The IAB believes that such comprehensive actions have no place in the academic community. We believe that in the long run, academic cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians will help foster understanding and peace.

Assuming there is no specific security problem in Ms. Salameh’s case, as reported in Haaretz yesterday, 12^th of October 2006 (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtVty.jhtml?sw=tamara+traubman&itemNo=773451), the IAB hopes that Ms. Salameh will be allowed to pursue her studies as other foreign students that are admitted to Israeli universities.

For further information contact:

Ofir Frankel, Manager, International Campaign for Academic Freedom
Mobile: +972-545-424043 E-mail: fofir@netvision.net.il ;
Website: http://www.biu.ac.il/rector/academic_freedom/
The International Advisory Board for Academic Freedom (IAB)
Bar-IlanUniversity, Ramat-Gan52900, Israel

AUTHOR

SPME

Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) is not-for-profit [501 (C) (3)], grass-roots community of scholars who have united to promote honest, fact-based, and civil discourse, especially in regard to Middle East issues. We believe that ethnic, national, and religious hatreds, including anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism, have no place in our institutions, disciplines, and communities. We employ academic means to address these issues.