Gaza Fulbright Scholarships Reinstated

After a rapid media outcry, the US and Israel have come together to reinstate the Fulbright Scholarships initially revoked from several students from Gaza due to Israel-imposed travel restrictions. From The New York Times:

JERUSALEM -- The American State Department has reinstated seven Fulbright grants offered to Palestinians in Gaza for advanced study in the United States, reversing a decision to withdraw the scholarships because of Israel's ban on Palestinians' leaving Gaza for study abroad.

The American Consulate in Jerusalem sent e-mail messages on Sunday night to all seven telling them it was "working closely" with Israeli officials to secure them exit permits. Maj. Peter Lerner, spokesman for the Israeli Defense Ministry's office of civilian affairs, said the Gazans would be granted permits after individual security checks.

This is great news for these seven students, although it's probably not much consolation to the several hundreds of other Gazans currently unable to take up scholarships to study abroad due to these travel restrictions.

More like this

In the Washington Post, Israeli writer Yossi Klein Halevi has a moving take on the conflict in Gaza. His nineteen year old son is in the Israeli army, you see.
Suppose a natural catastrophe like a hurricane or a pandemic were to destroy the water supply and power to 1.4 million people living in a densely populated urban environment at the height of summer heat. Suppose the sewer system were severely damaged.
Reader JJ reminds me that while we celebrate Obama's victory and a new mood of hope and optimism in the US, the people of the Gaza strip have little to celebrate and even less reason for hope and optimism:
Not content to allow the raving moonbats of Christianity to have all the attention, a group of Jewish moonbats have decided to throw their tinfoil hats into the ring and make their case. Their argument? The hurricane was sent by God as punishment for our support of the Israeli pullout from Gaza.