VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJM #1256 1971557
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151557Z JUL 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2136
INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 4268

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001256 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/IPA (KPHELAN AND NSHAMPAINE), NEA/PPD (QBRADFORD AND 
PAGNEW) AND ECA/A/E/NEA-SCA (LALAMI AND DIVES) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAL IS PHUM
SUBJECT: THREE U.S.-BOUND GAZAN STUDENTS DETAINED AT EREZ CROSSING 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  On July 14, only two of the five Gazans whose 
transit through Erez crossing Post had sought to facilitate were 
approved.  The other three were unable to travel to Jerusalem for 
their visa interviews.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On July 2, Post submitted the names of five Gazans (Said 
Elmadhoun, Fadi Elhindi, Islam Elboji, Ashraf Abuamsha, and Nidal 
Kafarna) to COGAT Erez and requested permission for them to exit 
Gaza and travel to Jerusalem for visa interviews on July 14.  Of the 
five, one was selected for an IVLP, one is the husband of a 
Fulbright '08 student, and three are undergraduate students who were 
advised by AmidEast and accepted with full scholarships to U.S. 
universities.  Post asked them to arrive at Erez very early July 14 
to allow for processing time.  Post also sent a car and PD FSN to 
meet the group at Erez and escort them to and from Jerusalem. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Only two of the five Gazans were able to travel to 
Jerusalem to apply for their visas on July 14.  These two departed 
Erez at 1300 in order to make it to and from Jerusalem before the 
Erez crossing closed.  The other three were detained for various 
periods of time by the Israeli authorities at Erez and were unable 
to travel to Jerusalem.  They were not informed whether their 
permits were approved, albeit too late in the day for them to travel 
to and from Jerusalem before Erez closed. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Below is a summary of the events at Erez, including 
excerpts from their personal accounts: 
 
--Islam Elboji: She was initially approved and sat in the waiting 
area for four hours with the two others who were approved and then 
informed by the Israeli authorities that she required extra 
processing.  She was subsequently sent back to Gaza without further 
questioning and told to return in a week.  She was not informed 
whether her permit was approved.  She wrote: "At 12:35 PM, the 
Israeli employee gave Said AL-Madhoon his ID and permission while 
she did not call me and I have waited until 1:40 PM when another 
Israeli guy came and told me to return back to Gaza and come again 
on July 21 at 9:00 AM. So I have taken my ID and returned back." 
 
--Ashraf Abuamsha: He waited three hours in the processing terminal 
before further questioning.  He was then sent back to Gaza.  He was 
not told whether his permit was approved.  He wrote: "The 
questioning lasted for about one hour and I was asked ordinary 
questions about my work in the ICRC, family, parents, brothers, 
sisters and friends. Then they sent me back again upstairs to the 
big waiting room for 15 minutes and gave me my ID and asked me to go 
back to Gaza." 
 
--Nidal Kafarna: Mr. Kafarna is a YES high school exchange program 
alumnus who was questioned by the GOI for eight hours when he 
returned from his year abroad in 2006.  This time, he was questioned 
for ten hours (0800 - 1800), including two interview sessions and 
long waiting periods, and required to strip to his underwear. 
Afterwards, he was told to return to Gaza.  He was not told whether 
his permit was approved.  He wrote: "After a while, I was led back 
to the waiting alley, where I had started; they gave me my 
belongings on the way. I thought it was all over, and that things 
were working fine for me. I was asked to go to the booth where a 
different woman was sitting, she handed me my ID card and pointed at 
a gate behind me. The gate had the word GAZA written on it. I 
couldn't believe myself; I am going back to Gaza." 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Post understands that Embassy Tel Aviv is raising this 
issue with the GOI to seek assurances that the Israeli authorities 
at Erez will facilitate the Gazans' travel to Jerusalem for their 
rescheduled visa interviews.  ConGen Jerusalem will follow up in 
conjunction with Embassy Tel Aviv. 
 
LAPENN