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7 Aug, 2015

Israeli Forces Deny Palestinian Professor, his Family Entry into West Bank

RAMALLAH, August 5, 2015 (WAFA)- Israeli forces Wednesday afternoon denied a Palestinian professor and his family entry into occupied Palestinian Territories to work for Birzeit University in Ramallah.

According to a press release issued by Birzeit University, professor Omar al-Surani and his family were denied entry into the West Bank through the Allenby Bridge border crossing.

Al-Surani was planning to work as a lecturer at the Birzeit University Faculty of Architecture.

The university’s administration decried the Israeli “arbitrary actions” against Palestinian academics wishing to join Palestinian universities and called upon relevant international and local human rights organizations to pressure the Israeli authorities into halting “racist measures” that violate Palestinians’ right to education.

The university also called upon the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) to take action at the highest levels in order to pressure Israel to end its interference with education in the oPT.

Al-Surani, who holds a Palestinian and British passports, is originally from Gaza and is currently based in the United Kingdom.