Palestinian universities suffer from sanctions
Palestine-European Union, Education, 3/13/2007

A Greek Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Panayiotis Beglitis said that universities and educational institutions in Palestine are closing down due to economic sanctions imposed by the EU and the US.

The Socialist MEP in a statement yesterday said Bir Zeit university in the West Bank was forced to suspend functioning and other universities in the Palestinian territories risk finding themselves in the same situation which could have negative consequences for the 138,000 Palestinian students.

Nabil Kassis, President of Bir Zeit university said out of the 7,000 students in the university, 3,200 are unable to pay their fees.

70 % of the Palestinian population is living below the poverty line and 30 % are unemployed.

In his question to the EU Council, the European lawmaker asks why the EU Foreign Ministers during their meeting on March 5th once more avoided examining the immediate lifting of sanctions, in spite of the agreement of Hamas and Fatah in Mecca in February to form a national unity government.

"Why does the (European) Council remain uninterested about the serious humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories, which hits the functioning of universities," asks Beglitis.

Do not the Council and the Member States of the EU realize that their decisions are leading the Palestinian people to a dead end and the region towards new conflicts, Beglitis asks.

Previous Stories:
  EU 34 million euro in humanitarian aid to vulnerable Palestinians   (7/7/2006)
  Food situation deteriorating in Palestinians areas   (4/29/2006)
  EU says aid suspension not hostile act against Palestinians   (4/24/2006)
  ISESCO urges action to end blockade on palestinian educational institutes   (2/12/2003)
  UNICEF: thousands of Palestinian children denied access to schools   (10/3/2002)
  UN development agency appeals for funds to help Palestinian students   (4/25/2001)

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