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June 02, 2008
Shhh! Egypt Stymies Fulbright Students
One problem in the coverage of the Gaza Fulbright students was summed up in this opening paragraph in the Los Angeles Times:
Confined by Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, two Palestinian sisters who dreamed of postgraduate studies abroad got their chance in January when Gaza militants destroyed part of a wall along the Egyptian border.
If Gaza has a border with Egypt, why is it solely Israel's blockade that is preventing Gazan students from going abroad?
The Times reporter, Richard Boudreaux, dances around the issue seven paragraphs into the story headlined "Israel Stymies Gaza Students":
Since Hamas seized control of Gaza from the more secular Fatah party last June, Israel has all but closed its Gaza border crossings in an attempt to weaken the group and end frequent rocket barrages aimed at Israeli towns. Egypt, Gaza's other neighbor, has cooperated with Israel to keep 1.5 million Palestinians enclosed in the tiny, impoverished strip.
If Egypt is preventing Fulbright students from reaching the U.S., isn't that at least as newsworthy as Israel doing the same? After all, Egypt isn't even the target of Gaza's "frequent rocket barrages," unlike Israel.
Don't hold your breath. LA Times coverage of the Gaza-Egypt border has long been challenged.
Posted by TS at June 2, 2008 04:46 AM
Comments
One country at a time. First Gaza, then Egypt. Let Israel set an example for others to follow. Let students travel.
Posted by: Yale Richmond at June 2, 2008 07:32 AM
Jesus is pretty clear about his message to "Turn the other cheek." Yet so many Christians today support, condone, or would resort to violence themselves. Why israel doesn't "turn the other cheek as we Catholics do?
Posted by: Yaakov Sullivan at June 2, 2008 06:58 PM
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