Belgian Government Blocks Gaza Students From Starting Studies Amid Coalition Dispute

A group of Palestinian students and researchers awarded scholarships to study at leading Belgian universities will likely be unable to begin their upcoming semester due to the Belgian government's refusal to facilitate their exit from the Gaza Strip. The blockade stems from internal disagreements within Belgium's nationalist coalition government, led by Prime Minister Bart De Wever, over immigration policy. Although some students received admission offers as early as June, the government in Brussels has yet to approve their evacuation from Gaza.

The students cannot leave Gaza freely because of the ongoing war, but third countries can request their evacuation from Israel for educational purposes. Countries like Italy and the UK have established support systems for Palestinian students, but Belgium faces political hurdles. Immigration Minister Annelies Van Bossuyt, from De Wever's N-VA party, acknowledged the lack of consensus within the government on approving the evacuations, stating that such decisions fall under the Foreign Ministry's authority but require full government agreement.

Belgium's Foreign Minister, Maxime Prévot, said his ministry is exploring ways to assist the students but emphasized that evacuation decisions rest with the entire government. University leaders, including Anne Wymberg, Vice Rector of the Free University of Brussels, expressed frustration over the coalition's reluctance on immigration issues. Ten university heads signed a letter urging Prime Minister De Wever to help organize safe departures for Palestinian researchers.

Among the scholarship recipients are specialists in fields critical to Gaza's reconstruction, such as medicine, virology, and computer science. Ahmed Al-Salibi, a postdoctoral researcher focusing on AI applications for ambulance evacuation, and Zouheir Dardona, studying the impact of war on infectious disease spread, are notable examples. Salwa Abu Al-Hajj, a master's candidate in communications, described the obstacles faced, including having to walk an hour to access the internet to submit her application. She condemned the blockade as a destruction of dreams and a barrier to rebuilding Gaza.

Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories stated that Israel supports and encourages the evacuation of students and researchers from Gaza at the request of third countries, highlighting the contrast with Belgium's internal political impasse.