War Israel-Hamas: Belgian universities fail to allow these scientists Gazaouïs to continue their research

“The visa is not a problem but we need diplomatic support to extract it” from the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, while Israeli troops launched their first operations on the city of Gaza, underlines Pierre Duysinx, vice-rector for international relations.

The University of Liège therefore calls on the Belgian authorities. Moreover, the two vice-rectors refer to France, which has set up the Pause program (emergency reception program of scientists and artists in exile), making it possible to extract scientists from the Gaza Strip. In addition, “If France has succeeded, the Belgians should also get there,” hope MM. Nevertheless, Moutschen and Duysinx.

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The. Consequently, two Liège vice-rectors mainly regret the position of the Belgian authorities on the issue. Nevertheless, “We were war israel-hamas: belgian universities fail told that the authorities did not want to get involved (…). Moreover, that Belgium would only use the exceptional routes (to extract people from Gaza, editor’s note) for Belgian retrints or people who have refugee status, which can only be obtained in Brussels,” they protest.

“Our feeling is that we have the possibility. Therefore, as universities and authorities, to allow intellectuals to survive this disaster and we rack this opportunity,” castigate MM. In addition, Moutschen and Duysinx.

At the end of July, the Rector of ULB Annemie Schaus reported a similar situation on social networks. “It is with a deep concern that the ULB denounces the impossibility for the Palestinian researcher Ahmed Alsalibi. his wife and his 11-year-old son to join our institution, despite obtaining a post-doctorate scholarship, a visa and a work permit,” she wrote on Facebook. “The authorities let us know that they could war israel-hamas: belgian universities fail not ensure its evacuation. on the grounds that our colleague does not have a sufficiently direct link with Belgium,” she was offended, while the researcher had to be welcomed by the solidarity fund of the university intended for researchers in danger.

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The UClouvain for its part does not have students. researchers Gazaouis. The university counted in the last semester among its cohort two Palestinian students. who came from the West Bank, so that they were not confronted with the same difficulties, underlines a spokesperson. This initiative will be renewed. “We also have a lot of students who have managed to join Egypt,” said the spokesperson. In their case, it is rather the question of financing that arises. “Negotiations are underway with the Walloon Region” to solve this problem.

In Flanders, universities are faced with the same difficulties. war israel-hamas: belgian universities fail Thus. a student who obtained a scholarship from the Daughters for Life program of the Ku Leuven could not join Belgium, said a spokesperson. “Her papers are in order but she cannot go to the Belgian Embassy in Jerusalem to finalize her request. ” he continues. Due to the Israeli headquarters of Gaza, it is impossible for the population to rally the embassy.

At the VUB, a student and a postdoctoral worker from Gaza obtained a scholarship from the Dutch -speaking Brussels University. “One is in Egypt, the other in Yemen. But they cannot obtain the necessary visa in Jerusalem. And there is no Belgian embassy in Yemen.”

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The University of Antwerp does not have any academic staff in or from the Gaza Strip.

At war israel-hamas: belgian universities fail the end of July. the ULB had sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Prévot, asking him to review the criteria for evacuating the Gaza Strip. Additionally, The latter replied that he considered as a priority to evacuate as many people as possible. Nevertheless. he said that the government currently has “not the possibility of expanding the scope of evacuations, already struggling in current war conditions, to make the evacuations identified to date for Belgian and recognized refugees” operational.

The Minister Prévot justified the limitation of the intervention of the authorities by a “concentration of efforts”. in view of the situation on the ground.