Palestinians suffer even in education

News that the US has revoked visas for three postgraduate Palestinian students from the Gaza Strip, following more than two months of agony, is most alarming. Yet again, Palestinians in Gaza are being punished by Israel and the US for exercising their democratic right to choose their political representatives. Yet again, the international community has failed them and on what? One of the most basic rights: the right to education.

With US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice personally involved in the Palestinian students' ordeal and still unable to secure their journey to her country, one begins to wonder that if she is unable to negotiate on this uncomplicated matter, how can she (or anyone else in her position for that matter) begin to negotiate a peace treaty for Palestinians and Israelis?

The Jewish state is active in isolating the Gaza Strip and ensuring that all Palestinians suffer alike, even at a time when economic pressures and sanctions have turned it into a prison-like encampment. As pointed out by several human rights organisations, what happened to the students unequivocally amounts to collective punishment. Instead of engaging young people and giving them bigger and better chances to improve their lives, there is an insistence for them to remain locked up in Gaza.

That they can't apply for US visas in Gaza, or go to Occupied Jerusalem to apply is in itself shameful. No reason has been given for the cancellation of visas except that US officials received "new information" about the scholars. A fourth student was also denied entry to the US without any explanation. The fact that this has dragged on for so long with no outcome is a bad reflection on the US.

These students dared to dream. They sought to pursue advanced degrees at American institutions but they should have known that their reality is different.

Where is the international community and how come its response has been muted? The issue of scholarships should never have become a political one.