Left I on the News

I'm sure most readers will have already seen this, but I'll reproduce it here anyway:

The American State Department has withdrawn all Fulbright grants to Palestinian students in Gaza hoping to pursue advanced degrees at American institutions this fall because Israel has not granted them permission to leave.

Demonstrating once again that, far from "withdrawing" from Gaza, Israel instead continues to maintain Gaza as the world's largest prison.

Note that this is a U.S. government action as well as an Israeli action; it was the U.S. State Dept. under Condoleezza Rice which withdrew these grants, which it could have left in place and tried to pressure Israel to change its stance. That makes it not only appropriate but imperative for American politicians to weigh in on the situation. Will they? We'll see.

And, for your morning humor, try this on for size:

"This could be interpreted as collective punishment," complained Rabbi Michael Melchior, chairman of the Parliament’s education committee.

"Could be interpreted?" Are you kidding me? This is, of course, collective punishment, as is the entire treatment of Gaza by not only Israel but by the U.S., Egypt, and every other country actively supporting the blockade of Gaza and the attempted genocide of its people.