Palestinian Right to Education Petition

On 21st November 2004, four Birzeit University students from Gaza were forcibly removed from their studies in the West Bank and illegally deported to the Gaza Strip by the Israeli occupation Army. No charges were made against Bashar Abu Shahala, Walid Muhanna, Bashar Abu Salim and Mohammad Matar, but they have been prevented from returning to Birzeit University to continue their studies. The Right to Education Campaign at Birzeit University is fighting for their return (http://right2edu.birzeit.edu).

The West Bank and Gaza Strip are internationally recognized as one integral territory. Under international law everyone has the right to freely choose their place of residence within a single territory. As such, all Palestinians from Gaza have the right to live, work and study in the West Bank and vice versa. This has been actively undermined by the illegal permit system and closure policy imposed by the Israeli occupation since 1991, preventing thousands of Gaza students from studying at West Bank universities.

The Gaza students' issue is part of the wider Israeli policy to obstruct and attack education in Palestine. Students in the West Bank are prevented from reaching their universities by frequent closures of cities, hundreds of military roadblocks and the construction of the illegal Wall.

We, the undersigned, call on the Israeli Army Legal Advisor, Col. Yaer Lutstein, and the Israeli Minister of Defense, Shaul Mofaz, to:

1. Demand the immediate and unconditional return of the four deported Gaza students to Birzeit University

2. Demand the right of Palestinian students to study at any university in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in accordance with international law

3. Demand the right of all Palestinian students to freely pursue their education in accordance with the right to freedom of movement and the fundamental human right to education