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Khaled Al- Mudallal is one of hundreds of students trapped in Gaza and at risk of losing his place at university. The Let Khaled Study Campaign, www.letkhaledstudy.co.uk is picking up momentum at his university in the UK. His cause is also being taken up Birzeit University's Right To Education Campaign and News Center in Palestine. Below is the center's press release and a personal letter from Kahled Mudallal about his situation:
Khaled is a Palestinian and a Business and Management student at the University of Bradford. He is currently trapped in Gaza due to the restrictions on freedom of movement imposed by Israel. Khaled needs to return to Bradford urgently to begin the third year of his degree course.
Khaled returned to his hometown of Rafah in June with the intention of staying only for a few days. He has a British residence permit valid until November 2010.
According to Israeli human rights organization Gisha, Khaled is one of several hundred Palestinian students who are being prevented from leaving Gaza to return to courses abroad. Gisha believes the Israeli government is in breach of international law. The right to education is enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The NUS Black Students' Campaign, University of Bradford Students' Union, General Union of Palestinian Students, University and College Union, Federation of Student Islamic Societies and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign are calling on all students in Britain to support Khaled's right to continue his education and the right of all Palestinian students to access education free from the restrictions imposed by Israel's illegal occupation.
What you can do:
*Print and collect signatures for the petition and encourage others to do the same - the petitions will be sent to the British and the Israeli Prime Ministers.
* Write to the Israeli Prime Minister calling for the travel restrictions imposed on Gaza to be lifted and for Khaled to be allowed to leave to return to Bradford.
*Write to the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling on him to bring pressure to bear on his Israeli counterpart to lift the restrictions on students from Gaza, including Khaled, leaving Gaza to access education.
* Contact student media to try to get articles published raising awareness of Khaled's situation and the plight of Palestinian students living under Israel's illegal occupation.
