Open Letter to the US State Department and IIE

We as Fulbrighters and Fulbright Alumni believe that the recent decision by the US State Department to cancel the grants of seven Palestinian students living in Gaza is contrary to the Fulbright Program’s goal of increasing “mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.”

We understand firsthand the tremendous impact that this simple mission statement can have on peoples’ lives and we also can imagine the heartache that would come with having a potential Fulbright experience wrenched away after having been anxiously anticipated.

We would like to emphasize that our concerns are not about Israel and Palestine, but about education and exchange. The State Department website describes the Fulbright Program, the American government’s flagship program in international educational exchange, as “an integral part of U.S. foreign relations.” It adds, “the Fulbright Program creates a context to provide a better understanding of U.S. views and values, promotes more effective binational cooperation and nurtures open-minded, thoughtful leaders, both in the U.S. and abroad, who can work together to address common concerns.”

We agree. And we believe that canceling grants for qualified students, even before negotiations for their ability to leave Gaza have been attempted, is counter to the goals of the Fulbright Program.

We therefore request that the State Department and IIE do the same for the Gaza grantees as they have done for us and thousands of other Fulbrighters – fully fund their grants and help them pursue their studies in the United States for the upcoming year.

1. Julian Gantt, US Fulbrighter to Azerbaijan, 2007-2008
2. Diana Schaffner, US Fulbrighter to Yemen, 2007-2008
3. Jessica Tibbets, US Fulbrighter to Yemen/Jordan, 2007-2008
4. Murat Musulluoğlu, US Fulbrighter to Azerbaijan, 2007-2008
5. Carrie Schneider, US Fulbrighter to Finland, 2007-2008
6. Emily Witt, US Fulbrighter to Mozambique, 2007-2008
7. Aparna Kumar, US Fulbrighter to Mozambique, 2007-2008
8. Dahlia Kareem, Iraqi Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2008
9. Naomi Goldenson, US Fulbrighter to Spain, 2007-2008
10. James Sweetbaum, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2006-2007
11. Ahmed R. Teleb, US Fulbrighter to Spain, 2007-2008
12. Nicole Mastuka, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2006-2007
13. Hannah Armstrong, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2006-2007
14. Devon Liddell, US Fulbrighter to Spain, 2007-2008
15. Azmi F. Ahmad, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
16. Elmer Craig, US Fulbrighter to United Kingdom, 1986-1987
17. Aisa Martinez, US Fulbrighter to Oman, 2007-2008
18. Tiffany Bradley, US Fulbrighter to Palestine, 2007-2008
19. Matthew Axelrod, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
20. Christopher Stone, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
21. Imelda O'Reilly, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2007-2008
22. Aurora Almendral, US Fulbrighter to Spain, 2007-2008
23. Julia Kirby, US Fulbrighter to Yemen/Bahrain, 2007-2008
24. Kimbery Katz, US Fulbrighter to Tunisia/Egypt, 2007-2008
25. Pauline L. Lewis, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
26. Keith David Watenpaugh, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 1992-1993
27. Niambi A. Young, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
28. Aaron Sakulich, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2007-2008
29. Shara K. Lange, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2007-2008
30. Patrick Hazelton, US Fulbrighter to Tunisia, 2007-2008
31. Kristin Anderson, US Fulbrighter to UAE, 2006-2007
32. Mary McCullough, US Fulbrighter to Tunisia, 2007-2008
33. Geoffrey Aung, US Fulbrighter to Thailand, 2008-2009
34. MaryElizabeth J. Nora, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2006-2007
35. David Furman, US Fulbrighter to Peru 1979-1980/2000-2001
36. Emma Kalb, US Fulbrighter to India, 2006-2007
37. Nabil Khan, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2007-2008
38. George F. Roberson, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2007-2008
39. Forrest Fleischman, US Fulbrighter to India, 2006-2007
40. Eric Wynkoop, US Fulbrighter to India, 2006-2007
41. Samantha Rose, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
42. Veena Sriram, US Fulbrighter to Ghana, 2006-2007
43. Dana Shapiro, US Fulbrighter to Israel, 2007-2008
44. Rohit Goel, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2007-2008
45. Jenise Englund, US Fulbrighter to Germany, 1961-1962
46. Rob Gaudet, US Fulbrighter to Sweden, 2007-2008
47. Benjamin Fohner, US Fulbrighter to Australia, 2007-2008
48. Matthew MacLean, US Fulbrighter to the UAE, 2006-2007
49. Daniel Mitchell, Australian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
50. Meredith Lang, US Fulbrighter to Oman, 2007-2008
51. Saman Qureshi, Pakistani Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
52. Sarah M. Brooks, US Fulbrighter to China, 2007-2008
53. Suzanne Valade, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2006-2007
54. Leland Turner, US Fulbrighter to Australia, 2007-2008
55. Ann Gore, US Fulbrighter to China, 2007-2008
56. Amy Ellks, Australian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
57. Stacy Aldinger, US Fulbrighter to China, 2007-2008
58. Joshua Meisel, US Fulbrighter to Australia, 2007-2008
59. Megan Meschery, US Fulbrighter to Spain, 2007-2008
60. Monica Boomer, US Fulbrighter to Jordan, 2007-2008
61. David Beecher, US Fulbrighter to Estonia, 2007-2008
62. Rachel Criswell, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2007-2008
63. Erin Traeger, US Fulbrighter to Macedonia, 2007-2008
64. Harris Fienberg, US Fulbrighter to Switzerland, 2007-2008
65. Paul Josephson, US Fulbrighter to Russia, 2007-2008
66. Alejandro De Los Angeles, US Fulbrighter to Singapore, 2007-2008
67. Shira Horowitz, US Fulbrighter to Sweden, 2007-2008
68. Gregory Adams, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2003-2004
69. Laura Gerber, US Fulbrighter to Norway, 2007-2008
70. Orysia Maria Kulick, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2003-2005
71. Elise Garvey, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2007-2008
72. Vera Belitsky, US Fulbrighter to Latvia, 2007-2008
73. Matthew Zook, US Fulbrighter to Estonia, 2007-2008
74. Emmet Tuohy, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2006-2007
75. Christine Boyle, US Fulbrighter to China, 2007-2008
76. Susan Benz, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2007-2008
77. Michelle K. Alger, US Fulbrighter to Lithuania, 2007-2008
78. Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby, US Fulbrighter to Russia, 2001-2002/2007-2008
79. William Graves, US Fulbrighter to Belarus, 2002-2003
80. Adam M. Walters, US Fulbrighter to Peru, 2008-2009
81. Ester B. Lee, US Fulbrighter to Peru, 2008-2009
82. Roseanne Schuster, US Fulbright to Canada, 2007-2008
83. Faith Hillis, US Fulbrighter to Russia/Ukraine, 2006-2007
84. Corey Laplante, US Fulbrighter to Peru, 2008-2009
85. Natalie Smolenski, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
86. Lisa L. Harlow, US Fulbrighter to Canada, 2001-2002
87. Shenghai Li, US Fulbrighter to India, 2006-2007
88. Manouchehr Shiva, US Fulbrighter to Azerbaijan 2005-2006
89. Larissa Paschyn, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2007-2008
90. Hildegard Grace Kiel, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
91. Naomi Uman, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2007-2008
92. Leonard Lehrer, US Fulbrighter to Greece, 2001-2002/2003-2005
93. Omar Shakir, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2007-2008
94. Daniel Stolz, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2007-2008
95. Megan Rose Mulcahy, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2007-2008
96. Robert Scaife, US Fulbrighter to Austria, 2006-2007
97. Emily Totenberg Green, US Fulbrighter to the Philippines, 2007-2008
98. Raphael Cohn, US Fulbrighter to Israel, 2007-2008
99. Jacqueline P. Hand, US Fulbrighter to India, 1992-1993
100. Fergus Akaba Ambe, Cameroonian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
101. Yao Agbossoumonde, Togolese Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2009
102. Sarah Kramer, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2007-2008
103. Hoa Thi Kim Nghiem, Vietnamese Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
104. Ludek Pohorelsky, Czech Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
105. Anna Losiak, Polish Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
106. Gillian Fergerson Quandt, US Fulbrighter to Chile, 2007
107. Alison Mandaville, US Fulbrighter to Azerbaijan, 2007-2008
108. Robert R. Mercer, US Fulbrighter to Ukraine, 2007-2008
109. Antoine Traisnel, French Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
110. Leonardo J. Lara V., Venezuelan Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
111. Aesha Tammour, Syrian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2010
112. Julia Pivovarova, Russian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
113. James Goodman, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2007-2008
114. Anas Saleh Eddin, Syrian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
115. Mohammed Ali Loutfy, Lebanese Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
116. Amer Doko, Syrian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2009
117. Pouneh Aravand, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2007-2008
118. Leann Wilson, US Fulbrighter to Russia, 2007-2008
119. Steve Sauerwald, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
120. Joerg Wolf, German Fulbrighter to USA, 1999-2000
121. Andrew Dumm, US Fulbrighter to Jordan, 2007-2008
122. Anne Ciechanowski, US Fulbrighter to Germany, 2005-2006
123. Joern Kersten, German Fulbrighter to USA, 1999-2000
124. Shane Minkin, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2005-2006
125. Tanja Zoellner, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2005-2006
126. Alessandra Stella, Italian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
127. Ricardo Borges de Castro, Portuguese Fulbrighter to USA, 2004-2006
128. Katemari Rose, Brazilian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2012
130. Amiel Melnick, US Fulbrighter to Slovenia, 2005-2006
131. Ramzi Qaabar, Palestinian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
132. Jeannette A. Estruth, US Fulbrighter to Hungary, 2007-2008
133. Orla Flanagan, Irish Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
134. Rosalie Knecht, US Fulbrighter to Argentina, 2006-2007
135. Frederick Deknatel, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2008-2009
136. Anna Volk, US Fulbrighter to Colombia, 2008-2009
137. Lobke Snoeks, Dutch Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
138. Sonja Gre, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2001-2002
139. Youssef Gaigi, Tunisian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
140. Carmen Abate, Italian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
141. Justin Hakuta, US Fulbrighter to the Philippines, 2007-2008
142. Shifa Ali, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2006-2007
143. Tom Kurz, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2004-2005
144. Ahmed El Bedawy, Egyptian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
145. Joern Kupferschmidt, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2004-2006
146. Rami Aljadba, Palestinian Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2008
147. Wolfgang A. Ritschel, US Fulbrighter to Chile, 1994/1996
148. Michael J. Vetter, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
149. Joe Greenman, US Fulbrighter to Yemen, 1974-1975
150. Maude Meisel, US Fulbrighter to Russia, 2005-2006
151. Sara Rhodin, US Fulbrighter to Estonia, 2006-2007
152. Dirk Roseman, German Fulbrighter to USA, 1985-1986
153. Tracey Blasenheim, US Fulbrighter to Turkey, 2008-2009
154. Michael Casper, US Fulbrighter to Lithuania, 2006-2007
155. Judith Neudecker, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
156. Amy Pennington, US Fulbrighter to Brazil, 2007-2008
157. Lisa Morgan, US Fulbrighter to Belarus, 2007
158. Cassandra Sweet, US Fulbrighter to Brazil, 2002-2003
159. Martin Sohngen, German Fulbrighter to USA, 1998-1999
160. Klaus Hofman, German Fulbrighter to USA, 1982-1983
161. John R. Leo, US Fulbright Distinguished Chair of American Studies and Senior Scholar in Poland, 1998-2000 & US Fulbrighter to Slovakia, 2003-2004
162. Lina Adwan, Palestinian Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2007
163. Zain Shauk, US Fulbrighter to Jordan, 2007-2008
164. Ann Horwitz, US Fulbrighter to Indonesia, 2006-2007
165. Ahmed Derar Islim, Syrian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2010
166. Robin Woracek, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2007
167. Keren Rouche, Swiss Fulbrighter to USA, 2003-2006
168. Samara Flamini Kiihl, Brazilian Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2010
169. Laurence J. Tooth, US Fulbrighter to Germany, 2007-2008
170. Raul Tovares, US Fulbrighter to the Ukraine, 2008
171. John Zilcosky, US Fulbrighter to Germany, 1996-1997, 2003
172. Sharon De La Cruz, US Fulbrighter to Peru, 2008-2009
173. Alexa Firat, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2004-2005
174. Samia Badith, Lebanese Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
175. Margaret Anderson, US Fulbrighter to Russia, 2005-2006
176. Danny Gelman, Australian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
178. Annika E. Poppe, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2007
179. Sarah Thompson, US Fulbrighter to Argentina, 2007
180. Emily Neumeier, US Fulbrighter to Turkey, 2008-2009
181. Amy Knop-Narbutis, US Fulbrighter to Costa Rica, 2008-2009
182. Adam Demaray, US Fulbrighter to Argentina, 2007
183. Niklas Laurin Maydell, Austrian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
184. Firdes Dimitrova, Russian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
185. Signe Bendix Jepsen, Danish Fulbrighter to USA, 2002-2003
186. Carmen Khair, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2005-2006
187. Sara Branco, Portugese Fulbrighter to USA, 2004-2005
188. Dr. Iram Khan, Pakistani Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
189. Mohammad Qais, Afghan Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2010
190. Syed Sami Raza, Pakistani Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
191. Ayman Bekdash, US Fulbrighter to Jordan, 2007-2008
192. Megan Wiegand, US Fulbrighter to Taiwan, 2007-2008
193. Robert McCloud, US Fulbrighter to Kosovo, 2007-2008, 2009
194. Casey Welch, US Fulbrighter to Taiwan, 2007-2008
195. Sait Serkan Gurbuz, Turkish Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
196. Thomas Isele, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2007
197. Michael J. Rencewicz, US Fulbrighter to Russia, 2005-2006
198. Alex White, US Fulbrighter to Australia, 2007-2008
199. Ariela Marcus-Sells, US Fulbrighter to Jordan, 2007-2008
200. Christen Farr, US Fulbrighter to Tunisia, 2008-2009
201. Cristina L. Rodriguez, US Fulbrighter to Macedonia, 2007-2008
202. Fernanda Page, Argentinian Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2008
203. Danya Shocair Reda, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 1999-2000
204. Ruth Martinez Cevantes, Nicaraguan Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2008
205. Ada H. Porter, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 1999-2000
206. Rhana Natour, US Fulbrighter to UAE, 2008-2009
207. Salem Ghandour, US Fulbrighter to Malaysia, 2008-2009
208. Aqeel Abdulla, Syrian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2010
209. Kristy Vernon, Australian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
210. Lyala Tungatarova, Kazak Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
211. Ron du Bois, US Fulbrighter to Nigeria, 1987-1988, India, 1979-1980, Korea, 1974-1975
212. Gulmiza Seitalieva, Kyrgyz Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
213. Philipp Richter, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2006-2007
214. Nart Makhsida, Syrian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2010
215. Lindsey Stephenson, US Fulbrighter to Kuwait, 2007-2008
216. Emily Sharpe, US Fulbrighter to Qatar and Kuwait, 2005-2006
217. Christina Koningisor, US Fulbrighter to Kuwait, 2008-2009
218. Reid Ferring, US Fulbrighter to Georgia, 2006-2007
219. Gregory Wyatt, US Fulbrighter to Yemen/Oman, 2007-2008
220. Kevin Fogg, US Fulbrighter to Indonesia, 2005-2006
221. Stephanie Rice, US Fubrighter to Jordan, 2007-2008
222. Amal Mahmoud, US Fulbrighter to Kuwait, 2007-2008
223. Staci Strobi, US Fulbrighter to Bahrain, 2005-2006
224. Fida Adely, US Fulbrighter to Jordan, 2004-2005
225. Maria Alexandra Peralta, Colombian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009
226. Aude Lochet, French Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
227. Karen Attiah, US Fulbrighter to Ghana, 2008-2009
228. Kristine Khouri, US Fulbrighter to Jordan, 2007-2008
229. Joel Gordon, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 1984-1985, 1995-1996
230. Amina Awan, US Fulbrighter to Bahrain, 2007-2008
231. Lama Fakih, US Fulbrighter to Egypt, 2004-2005
232. Muhammadsho Kukaniev, Tajik Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
233. Annette Mullaney, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2007-2008
234. Jinnyn Jacob, US Fulbrighter to Turkey, 2006
235. Fatmah Hussain Al-Qadfan, Kuwaiti Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2009
236. Anne-Kathrin Kronberg, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008
237. Dick Bennett, US Fulbrighter to Yugoslavia (Macedonia), 1968-1969
238. Shadi Khadivi, US Fulbrighter to Turkey, 2005-2006
239. Olena Fedyuk, Ukrainian Fulbrighter to USA, 2002-2003
240. Laura Pearl Kaya, US Fulbrighter to Jordan, 2002-2004
241. Michael Dann, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2007-2008
242. Todd Olin, US Fulbrighter to Norway, 2007-2008
243. Sandra Rohrback, German Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2009

244. Juleyka Lantigua, US Fulbrighter to Spain, 1996-1997

245. Emily Robbins, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2007-2008

246. Eric Baylor, US Fulbrighter to Argentina, 2008-2009

247. Mona S. Barghout, Jordanian Fulbrighter to USA, 2000-2002

248. Ira Renfrew, US Fulbrighter to Singapore, 2006-2007

249. Sami Almalfouh, Palestinian Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008

250. Justin Zorn, US Fulbrighter to Singapore, 2008-2009

251. Anna Phillips, US Fulbrighter to Uganda, 2008-2009

252. Nehdia Sameen, Pakistani Fulbrighter to USA, 2007-2008

253. Maurits Dolmans, Dutch Fulbrighter to USA, 1984

254. Micael Bogar, US Fulbrighter to Georgia, 2007-2008

255. Lucas Nebert, US Fulbrighter to the Netherlands, 2008-2009

256. Nawwar Kabbani, Syrian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2010

257. Maura Allaire, US Fulbrighter to Ghana, 2006-2007

258. Albert Carbonell Sauri, Spanish Fulbrighter to USA, 2002-2004

259. Lucy Robins, US Fulbrighter to Chile, 2009

260. Raymond Hahn, US Fulbrighter to South Korea, 1998

261. Paul Christiansen, US Fulbrighter to Czech Republic, 1998-1999

262. Xavier Harro-Carrion, Ecuadorian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2009

263. Nicholas Reith, US Fulbrighter to Syria, 2004-2005
264. Laura Tompkins, US Fulbrighter to Brazil, 2008

265. Suzanne Schwartz, US Fulbrighter to India, 2008-2009

266. Heather J. Stepanek, US Fulbrighter to Bulgaria, 2004-2005

267. Michael Castellon, US Fulbrighter to Guatemala, 1993-1994
268. Christina S. Chang, US Fulbrighter to South Korea, 2008-2009
269. Doris Palomino, Peruvian Fulbrighter to USA, 2008-2010
270. Jennifer Rumbach, US Fulbrighter to Ghana, 2005-2006
271. Kate Hers, US Fulbrighter to South Korea, 2000-2001
272. Kathleen Norland, US Fulbrighter to Morocco, 2008-2009
273. Annette Olsen-Fazi, US Fulbrighter to Tunisia, 2007-2008

From the New York Times

May 30, 2008

U.S. Withdraws Fulbright Grants to Gaza

By ETHAN BRONNER

GAZA — The American State Department has withdrawn all Fulbright grants to Palestinian students in Gaza hoping to pursue advanced degrees at American institutions this fall because Israel has not granted them permission to leave.

Israel has isolated this coastal strip, which is run by the militant group Hamas. Given that policy, the United States Consulate in Jerusalem said the grant money had been “redirected” to students elsewhere out of concern that it would go to waste if the Palestinian students were forced to remain in Gaza.

A letter was sent by e-mail to the students on Thursday telling them of the cancellation. Abdulrahman Abdullah, 30, who had been hoping to study for an M.B.A. at one of several American universities on his Fulbright, was in shock when he read it.

“If we are talking about peace and mutual understanding, it means investing in people who will later contribute to Palestinian society,” he said. “I am against Hamas. Their acts and policies are wrong. Israel talks about a Palestinian state. But who will build that state if we can get no training?”

Some Israeli lawmakers, who held a hearing on the issue of student movement out of Gaza on Wednesday, expressed anger that their government was failing to promote educational and civil development in a future Palestine given the hundreds of students who had been offered grants by the United States and other Western governments.

“This could be interpreted as collective punishment,” complained Rabbi Michael Melchior, chairman of the Parliament’s education committee, during the hearing. “This policy is not in keeping with international standards or with the moral standards of Jews, who have been subjected to the deprivation of higher education in the past. Even in war, there are rules.” Rabbi Melchior is from the Meimad Party, allied with Labor.

The committee asked the government and military to reconsider the policy and get back to it within two weeks. But even if the policy is changed, the seven Fulbright grantees in Gaza are out of luck for this year. Their letters urged them to reapply next year.

Israel’s policy appears to be in flux. At the parliamentary hearing on Wednesday, a Defense Ministry official recalled that the cabinet had declared Gaza “hostile territory” and decided that the safety of Israeli soldiers and civilians at or near the border should be risked only to facilitate the movement out of Gaza for humanitarian concerns, like medical treatment. Higher education, he said, was not a humanitarian concern.

But when a query about the canceled Fulbrights was made to the prime minister’s office on Thursday, senior officials expressed surprise. They said they did, in fact, consider study abroad to be a humanitarian necessity and that when cases were appealed to them, they would facilitate them.

They suggested that American officials never brought the Fulbright cases to their attention. The State Department and American officials in Israel refused to discuss the matter. But the failure to persuade the Israelis may have stemmed from longstanding tensions between the consulate in Jerusalem, which handles Palestinian affairs, and the embassy in Tel Aviv, which manages relations with the Israeli government.

The study grants notwithstanding, the Israeli officials argued that the policy of isolating Gaza was working, that Palestinians here were starting to lose faith in Hamas’s ability to rule because of the hardships of life.

Since Hamas, a radical Islamist group that opposes Israel’s existence, carried out what amounted to a coup d’état in Gaza against the more secular Fatah party a year ago, hundreds of rockets and mortar shells have been launched from here at Israeli civilians, truck and car bombs have gone off and numerous attempts to kidnap Israeli soldiers have taken place.

While Hamas says the attacks are in response to Israeli military incursions into Gaza, it also says it will never recognize Israel.

“We are using the rockets to shake the conscience of the world about Israeli aggression,” argued Ahmed Yusef, political adviser to the Hamas foreign minister in an interview in his office here. “All our rockets are a reaction to Israeli aggression.”

The Israeli closing of Gaza has added markedly to the difficulty of daily life here, with long lines for cooking gas and a sense across the population of being under siege. Israel does send in about 70 truckloads per day of wheat, dairy products and medical equipment as well as some fuel, and it permits some medical cases out.

But Israel’s stated goal is to support moderates among the Palestinians so that Hamas will lose power, and even some security-conscious Israeli hard-liners say that the policy of barring students with grants abroad is counterproductive.

“We correctly complain that the Palestinian Authority is not building civil society, but when we don’t help build civil society this plays into the hands of Hamas,” said Natan Sharansky, a former government official. “The Fulbright is administered independently, and people are chosen for it due to their talents.”

The State Department Web site describes the Fulbright, the American government’s flagship program in international educational exchange, as “an integral part of U.S. foreign relations.” It adds, “the Fulbright Program creates a context to provide a better understanding of U.S. views and values, promotes more effective binational cooperation and nurtures open-minded, thoughtful leaders, both in the U.S. and abroad, who can work together to address common concerns.”

Sari Bashi, who directs Gisha, an Israeli organization devoted to monitoring and increasing the free movement of Palestinians, said, “The fact that the U.S. cannot even get taxpayer-funded Fulbright students out of Gaza demonstrates the injustice and short-sightedness of a closure policy that arbitrarily traps 1.5 million people, including hundreds of Palestinian students accepted to universities abroad.” She said that their education was good not just for Palestinian society, but for Israel as well.

Some Israelis disagree strongly.

“We are fighting the regime in Gaza that does its utmost to kill our citizens and destroy our schools and our colleges,” said Yuval Steinitz, a lawmaker from the opposition Likud Party. “So I don’t think we should allow students from Gaza to go anywhere. Gaza is under siege, and rightly so, and it is up to the Gazans to change the regime or its behavior.”

Hadeel Abukwaik, a 23-year-old engineering software instructor in Gaza, had hoped to do graduate work in the United States this fall on the Fulbright that she thought was hers. She had stayed in Gaza this past winter when its metal border fence was destroyed and tens of thousands of Gazans poured into Egypt, including her sister, because the agency administering the Fulbright told her she would get the grant only if she stayed put. She lives alone in Gaza where she was sent to study because the cost is low; her parents, Palestinian refugees, live in Dubai.

“I stayed to get my scholarship,” she said. “Now I am desperate.”

She, like her six colleagues, was in disbelief. Mr. Abdullah, who called the consulate in Jerusalem for further explanation after receiving his letter, said to the official on the other end, “I still cannot believe that the American administration is not able to convince the Israelis to let seven Palestinians out of Gaza.”

Taghreed el-Khodary contributed reporting.