October 29, 2009

Back to Bethlehem
BU and Gisha Petition Isreali Authorities to Reverse Student’s Deportation

Bethlehem University is appealing for support from international friends in the struggle to bring Berlanty Azzam back to Bethlehem. The 21 year-old student, who is in her final semester at the University, was deported to Gaza on Wednesday, 28 October 2009. The University is also cooperating with Gisha Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, an Israeli NGO, on a legal appeal to reverse Berlanty’s deportation and allow her to return to classes in Bethlehem.

Berlanty was detained by the Israeli military Wednesday afternoon at the Container checkpoint between Bethlehem and Ramallah. Originally from Gaza, she was deported from the West Bank to Gaza City Wednesday evening blindfolded and in handcuffs. The deportation happened despite assurances by the Israeli Military Legal Advisor’s office that she would not be deported before an attorney from Gisha had the opportunity to petition the Israeli court on her behalf.

“We asked the army to let her go,” said Sari Bashi, Gisha Executive Director, in comments to The Chronicle of Higher Education Wednesday evening. “They said no. They did agree to wait until after our lawyer visits in the morning. They won’t deport her pending an opportunity for our lawyer to file a court petition.

“I spoke to her today for about 10 minutes until the army took away her cell phone. She’s terrified. She’s 21. She has never been in detention and doesn’t know what’s happening to her.”

What Berlanty remembers most about her deportation journey is silence – most of the time no one spoke to her or explained where they were taking her. When they arrived at the Gaza border around 11:00pm, she was released into the dark and told only, “You are in Gaza.”

Berlanty had been in Ramallah interviewing for a job before she was detained on her way back to Bethlehem. “When I’ve finally reached the point that I will graduate,” she says, “now I’m being held back again.” She is set to complete her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration this December.

“I pray that no one else goes through the same experience,” Berlanty continues.

Unfortunately, Berlanty’s situation is part of a pattern of increasing arrests of Gazans residing in the West Bank along with a policy of denying Gazans permits to study there, according to Gisha. “For years, Israel has prevented Palestinian residents of Gaza from studying in Palestinian universities in the West Bank,” says Yadin Elam, Gisha Legal Director.

It’s a policy Bethlehem University has tried to challenge with its Gaza Student Initiative, an effort to obtain permits for students from Gaza to study at the University and to find funding support for their education. Since May 2009, 12 students from Gaza have been accepted to undergraduate studies at Bethlehem University in a campaign initiated by the Papal Nuncio and Bethlehem University Chancellor, Archbishop Antonio Franco. Despite submitting travel permit applications supported by the University and the Nuncio, none of these students have received permission to travel to Bethlehem.

For students from Gaza, it is frequently easier to obtain travel permits to study abroad than to study at educational institutions within the West Bank, despite it also being Palestinian territory. Besides the barriers to new travel permits, says Elam, “Now, the military is arresting those already studying and removing them to Gaza by force – violating their right to freedom of movement and to access education.”

Berlanty has already made sacrifices for the chance to pursue her education. “Since 2005, I refrained from visiting my family in Gaza for fear that I would not be permitted to return to my studies in the West Bank,” she told Gisha. “Now, just two months before graduation, I was arrested and taken to Gaza in the middle of the night with no way to finish my degree.”

Brother Jack Curran, FSC, Bethlehem University Vice President for Development, asked that University supporters “please send a letter to the Israeli military authorities by email (cogatspokesman@gmail.com) or by fax (+972 3 697 6306) and let them know you demand that they release Berlanty Azzam immediately so she can resume and complete her last year of studies at the Vatican-sponsored Bethlehem University.”

Read the full appeal here.

Update: Gisha has filed a petition against Berlanty's deportation in Israeli courts. The courts have ordered attorneys for the state of Israel to submit a preliminary written reply to the petition by Tuesday, 3 November 2009. Your support matters. Please contact Israeli officials and your own elected representatives now.