In support of Bar-Ilan University’s International Advisory Board (IAB) for Academic Freedom, the Board of Directors of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME), an academic society with over 7000 faculty members from around the world, calls upon the Israeli government to review the case of Ms. Sawsan Salameh, a Palestinian student from the West Bank, who has received a scholarship to pursue her doctoral studies in Chemistry at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. According to news sources, the Israeli government’s denial of Ms. Salameh’s travel permit is based on a blanket security policy that prohibits Palestinian students from studying in Israeli universities.

As suggested in the IAB Press Release (below), a fair review of Ms. Salameh’s application would be more appropriate and in keeping with principles of academic freedom and cooperation, than would a uniform ban on Palestinian students. Ms. Salameh’s study in Israel, assuming she herself presents no security risk, should be welcomed as an opportunity to promote peace and greater understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.

For Further Information Contact Dr. Edward S. Beck President, SPME, 717.576.5038 or

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 11th 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, 12th of October 2006
http://www.haaretz. com/hasen/ pages/ShArtVty. jhtml?sw= tamara+traubman& it emNo=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-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel