Dear PCHR friends,

Please find The Campaign for The Right to Enter
the oPt’s recent report on Israel’s arbitrary restrictions on entry of foreign
academics attached to this email.

The report is titled “Academia Undermined:
Israeli Restrictions on Foreign National Academics in Palestinian Higher
Education Institutions”.  It emphasizes on
Israel’s unclear and non-transparent policies, processes and procedures for
issuing entry visas and residency permits to foreign passport holders for
visiting or working in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and examines its impact on
the Palestinians’ right to education. It details the implications of Israeli
restrictions on entry and residency for foreign academics wishing to serve at
institutes of higher education operating in the occupied Palestinian territory
(oPt). The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) concurs with the
findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the report.

The report comprehensively details (a) the
impact of the restrictions on the quality of education provided, and (b) the
impact of the isolation of Palestinian academia from the broader academic
community on the development of their academic institutions and educational
development in general. Such restrictions have diminished opportunities for
development of faculty, courses, and research programs at Palestinian
institutions of higher education. The report also concludes that these
restrictions are arbitrary and indiscriminate, and clearly contravene
international law.

PCHR assents with the recommendations of the
report and calls for (a) an immediate halt to Israel’s arbitrary and
abusive practice of denying entry to foreign nationals traveling to the oPt to
promote educational development and; (b) demands Israel’s adoption and
implementation of a clear, documented, and transparent policy enabling
unhindered access to the oPt by foreign nationals who are coming to educate or
promote educational development.

Links:

Report is titled “Academia Undermined: Israeli Restrictions on Foreign National Academics in Palestinian Higher Education Institutions”. 

(Ex-summary) RTE Education Report Academia
Undermined 

Sincerely,
PCHR