Ruchika Tulshyan, News Editor
11th December 2007
Palestinian student Khaled al-Mudallal has been allowed to leave the Gaza Strip to return to his studies at Bradford University following huge international pressure. Al-Mudallal, who was voted LSE Students’ Union Honorary Vice President in Michaelmas term, was trapped in Gaza by Israeli occupation forces authorities for 6 months despite having a UK visa. He will complete his final year of study in Business and Management studies.
“This is not a victory”, said al-Mudallal referring to the other 670 students still being prevented to leave Gaza to return to university. He spoke at a press conference last Wednesday alongside Ruqqayah Collector, National Union of Students (NUS) Black Students’ Officer and Sarah Colborne, Chair of Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Brian Iddon MP tabled an Early Day Motion supporting al-Mudallal’s case, signed by 50 MPs.
The Early Day Motion stated that according to Gisha “Mr Al Mudallal has not been able to leave Gaza, not because he has chosen not to, but because he is being prevented from doing so.” Twenty-two year old al Mudallal returned to his home in the Gaza Strip in June of this year, but was trapped after the Israeli Military closed off the Rafah crossing border, the only way for Gazans to leave the Strip.
The case was one of many taken up Israeli human rights organisation, Gisha, in the Israeli Supreme Court.
The claim by the Israeli embassy in London that al-Mudallal was free to leave Gaza but had chosen not to were refuted by him in a letter to the embassy.
“I have a right to education, a right to live and be free”, said al-Mudallal who missed his exams and first term of university. The NUS’ successful “Let Khaled Study Campaign” was backed by organisations such as “Jews for Justice for Palestinians” and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
“The scale of support for Khaled from students has been very helpful in ensuring that he can leave Gaza but there are hundreds of students still trapped there,” said Sarah Colborne, Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The press conference also highlighted the dire situation of Palestinians requiring urgent medical health – UN statistics show that of 762 applications of permits to leave the Gaza Strip since June, only 100 permits have been granted.
Colborne and Collector emphasised their gratitude to the LSESU for electing al-Mudallal Honorary Vice President and for raising awareness of Palestinians who were stopped from returning to the UK to study. Al-Mudallal stated that amongst his priorities of sitting his second year exams and trying to bring his wife to the UK, he plans to continue campaigning for the other hundreds of students still trapped in Gaza. He stated that although the student support has helped his case, the involvement of the British government and other official bodies is required to help other students in similar situations.
Up to 700 Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza last week.