Catholic University Protests Travel Limitations on Students, News Headlines

World View:

Pope Benedict XVI Angelus Address from Summer Residence in Castel Gandolfo
...2010-07-24

Thousands of Priests Concelebrate Mass with Pope Benedict XVI at the Conclusion of Year of Priests
...2010-06-13

The Cross Speaks of Hope, Love and Victory
...2010-06-06

Holy Father's Address to the People of Portugal
...2010-05-11

Easter Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI
...2010-04-05

Pope's Apology to Irish Sex Abuse Victims
...2010-03-20

Interview with Vatican Prosecutor Tasked with Investigating Paedophilia
...2010-03-13

A Tree for a Child in Haiti
...2010-03-13

Bethlehem » Email » Tweet Share Delicious

Catholic University Protests Travel Limitations on Students

21-year-old female student arrested and deported

Reinhard Backes
First published 2009-11-30

Bethlehem University
Photo: ACN News

BETHLEHEM (ACN) - It is under 20 miles (around 30 km) from Bethlehem to Ramallah on the West Bank. No great distance, really. Yet in reality the distance is much greater, and full of pitfalls, trenches and other obstacles.

A fact underlined by at least one episode at the end of October, that brought the smouldering conflict between Israel and the Palestinians back into the international headlines. Berlanty Azzam, a 21-year-old Palestinian female student at Bethlehem's Catholic University, was arrested by Israeli soldiers at one of the numerous checkpoints in Jordan's West Bank.

Azzam, a Christian who is studying Business Administration at Bethlehem University and who is about to take her final exams, was charged with residing illegally in the West Bank area. This slightly-built young woman was handcuffed and blindfolded, detained for hours, then finally deported against her will to the Gaza Strip, where her family lives.

The young student has now been forbidden from attending her university course in Bethlehem and refused permission to transfer from Gaza. The matter is now before the courts. Berlanty Azzam wants to return to Bethlehem to complete her studies. She points out that she has a valid permit, dating from the commencement of her studies in 2005, which permits entry into the West Bank, where she has been living ever since. "Since 2005 I have never returned again to the Gaza Strip to visit my family, because I was afraid they would not let me go back to study again", she explains. On the day she was arrested the 21-year-old student had travelled to Ramallah for an interview.

The Bethlehem University authorities are supporting Berlanty Azzam in her efforts to return to her studies and have protested that the freedom of movement of their students is constantly being restricted. Israeli human rights groups regard it as fundamentally unlawful to impede freedom of movement between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Israel justifies the rigid methods of its army on the grounds of national security. Political observers are inclined to believe that the policy is also intended to reinforce a sense of geographical separation between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and to intensify the ideological divisions between the opposing Palestinian groups, Hamas and Fatah.

Bethlehem's Catholic University was founded in 1973. Today it offers all the classical university subjects and more besides, including languages, sciences, economics, tourism and health care studies. Currently there are around 3,500 male and female students enrolled, from a variety of different religions and Christian denominations, while almost 11,000 men and women are involved in an ongoing formation programme for postgraduate students. The lectures and seminars are held in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Qubeibeh, Gaza, Hebron and Amman and likewise offered online. The international Catholic pastoral charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been financially supporting the Bethlehem University for years.

2009-11-30

Related: Building a Firm Foundation for a Christian Future

In Brief:

Message for World Youth Day 2011

2010-09-05

Pakistan Operational Update

2010-09-03

Catholic Charities USA Remembers Hurricane Katrina

2010-08-29

Counting Down to Pope Benedict XVI's Visit to England and Scotland

2010-08-29

Irish Bishops Respond to Priest's Alleged IRA Connections

2010-08-24

Caritas Urging Donors to Boost Support to Operations in Pakistan