A Letter to Dr. Rice

To The Honorable Dr. Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State:

I remember where I was when I got the news that I would be traveling to Egypt on a Fulbright Grant. I was coming back from a Dentist appointment when I got a phone call from my roommate, Meghan, who excitedly told me that I had a big package from the International Institute of Education. "YOU HAVE TO OPEN IT!" I shouted excitedly at her. "I DONT WANNA DO IT!" she retorted, giggling nervously at the prospect of giving me bad news, but clearly confident from the big fat envelope in her hands. I was relentless, standing still in the middle of the sidewalk crossing my fingers and holding my breath. I heard the rustling of paper, and a happy yelp followed by "YOU GOT IT!" I screamed and began to jump up and down in diag of the University of Michigan. "I'M GOING TO EGYPT ON A FULBRIGHT!!!" I had the honor to be a United States Fulbright Grantee, a culture ambassador from my country to Egypt, and an integral part of the puzzle to promoting mutual understanding and peace in our world. Four months after this news, I got to travel to Egypt, thanks to your Department of State.

Dr. Rice, I am sure I don't need to tell you of the seven Fulbright Grantees who earned the award, but who have been deprived of their right to carry out their Fulbright grant. Just like me, these students met the rigorous academic, social and political requirements to bear the title of a Fulbright Grantee. The only difference is that these seven students are Palestinian, their home is Gaza, and their dream was to study abroad in the United States. They passed the grueling application process of the Fulbright Grant, they were honored with the title of Cultural Ambassador, and were given the responsibility of promoting understanding between the United States and Palestine. But the continued Israeli military control of Gazan borders has deprived these students of both their human right of free movement, and also their rights as US Fulbright Grantees to fulfill their dream and study abroad at an American University.

Dr. Rice, I am sure you know the story of the Fulbright Grant. Senator J. William Fulbright established the grant after the atrocities of World War Two, concluding that the human race could not afford to not live in peace, and that a World War Three would undoubtedly be the end of all mankind. Since 1946, Fulbrighters have been defeating national stereotypes, promoting mutual understanding, and attempting to defuse political tensions by operating on a person-to-person level. Dr. Rice, your State Department recognizes this program of exchange as an integral part of our foreign policy. My question, Dr Rice, is since when did the United States allow another country to arbitrarily prevent our efforts of diplomacy and foreign policy? It is true that we have historically sided with Israel, turning more than a few blind eyes to unjust policies, but we usually have done so in the spirit of "What is good for Israel is good for the United States." The United States has the muscle to change Israeli policies if we really wished to do so. But the travel prohibition for the Palestinian Fulbright Grantees questions this traditional American-Israeli relationship, or at least questions the Bush Administration's value of diplomacy. Dr. Rice, the refusal to allow these students to travel to the United States violates the American Fulbright Program, violates your sovereignty over American foreign policies, and it should not be taken lying down. This is not another example of the United States supporting Israeli policies, rather, this is unprecedented kowtowing which directly damages the United States and its foreign policy. If this administration would like to pretend that it places some value in both the Fulbright Program and in building a respectful relationship with Palestinians, I suggest that you put up a fight and stand up for what is right. Dr. Rice, as a Fulbright Grantee, I am asking you to give these Palestinians the honor which they have earned. But as an American citizen, I am begging you to do what is right for our country, and to not let the unjust actions of a foreign government derail American efforts towards peace.