UK Pressed to Lift Barriers for Gaza Students Bound for Scotland
(MENAFN) The British government is under growing pressure to help Palestinian students from Gaza access higher education in Scotland, as visa and travel barriers leave them stranded in a war zone.
Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of Parliament Bob Doris on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration to intervene, supporting demands made by Scotland’s First Minister over the weekend.
“The First Minister is absolutely right to demand urgent action,” said Doris, who represents Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, according to a Scottish newspaper.
His comments follow a plea by First Minister John Swinney, who urged the UK to “do everything in its power” to support the students. Swinney’s call came after reports emerged that a 32-year-old woman named Shaymaa, accepted into a fully-funded course at the University of Edinburgh, has been unable to leave Gaza due to visa complications.
According to media, Shaymaa is one of 10 Palestinian students from Gaza awarded full scholarships to study in Scotland. However, with the sole biometric processing center in Gaza shuttered and all exits blocked by Israel, completing visa requirements remains impossible.
“Students from Gaza have already endured unimaginable suffering. The very least Labour can do is ensure they are not denied the opportunity to study here in Scotland,” Doris said. “Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has shown again and again that it will not stand up for Palestine.”
The Scottish government said Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth reached out to UK authorities on August 13 regarding the situation. Officials in France, Ireland, and Italy have already facilitated the evacuation of students from Gaza, raising questions about the UK’s lack of action.
Earlier this month, 80 Members of Parliament signed an open letter addressed to Starmer, demanding that his government assist the 78 Palestinian students reportedly accepted into various UK academic institutions.
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