October 30, 2009

Waiting in Gaza
Help Berlanty Now

The Israeli military has gone one step further in denying a young Christian woman her right to complete her bachelor degree at the Vatican-sponsored Bethlehem University in the Holy Land.

On Wednesday, 28 October 2009, we learned that Ms. Berlanty Azzam, a Bethlehem University student studying business administration and translation, was arrested by the Israeli military.

On Thursday, 29 October 2009, we spoke with Berlanty via mobile phone and learned that on Wednesday night at 11:00pm the Israeli military loaded her into a military jeep - blindfolded and handcuffed - and moved her from Bethlehem to Gaza - against her will.

Since August 2005, Berlanty, a 21 year old Christian woman, has been a student at Bethlehem University. “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,” said Berlanty.  “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.” Berlanty is scheduled to complete her bachelor degree in December 2009. 

Why was she removed from Bethlehem (in the West Bank and not in Israel) and taken to Gaza?  Just because her address in the Israeli-controlled Population Registry is listed in the Gaza Strip- but she lives in Bethlehem and has done so since the year 2005.

We need your help.  Berlanty needs your help.  What can you do to help? 

RIGHT NOW, please send an email to:

1. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Avigdor Liberman):        sar@mfa.gov.il
2. The Israeli Minister of Religious Affairs (Mr. Yaakov Margi):     yakovm@dat.gov.il
3. Your elected representatives in your home country.
4. The Israeli military authorities: cogatspokesman@gmail.com or fax (+972 3 697 6306)

Let them know that you demand that the Israeli military immediately return Berlanty Azzam to Bethlehem so that she can resume and complete her last few weeks of studies to complete her bachelors degree at the Vatican-sponsored Bethlehem University.

You might wish to say something like:

I am writing to you regarding the case of Ms. Berlanty Azzam, a fourth year student at Bethlehem University in Bethlehem who was detained and deported to Gaza by the Israeli military on October 28, 2009.  Ms. Azzam, 21 years old, is only few months away from completing her four year Bachelor’s degree in business administration. 

A petition against Berlanty's deportation has been filed 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.

I ask that on compassionate and humanitarian grounds you allow this young woman, Ms. Berlanty Azzam to return to Bethlehem to complete her studies.  She has not been accused of being a security threat and has committed no crime.  

I believe permitting her to return to Bethlehem to complete her degree also would be in the spirit of the “Agreement on Movement and Access” negotiated between the Palestinian Authority and Israel in 2005.

Visit our website and Gisha for more updates.

In addition to Berlanty, we have 12 other students in Gaza waiting for permission from Israeli authorities to study at Bethlehem University. Read more about them here.

May God Bless You!

Read more about Berlanty's story here, and read our first 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.