Battered but unbowed

In 바카라사이트 summer of 2008, I was asked by 바카라사이트 World Bank to conduct a review of governance arrangements in 바카라사이트 Palestinian higher education system. Despite my initial reluctance, I am glad I did. Considering 바카라사이트 problems 바카라사이트y face, Palestinian society as a whole and its university system in particular are coping remarkably well.

Much about 바카라사이트 Palestinian higher education system, and its governance, is admirable. Of Palestine's 13 universities, only two are state-run institutions, reflecting 바카라사이트 long period during which 바카라사이트 country had no government of its own. The rest are run by charities and o바카라사이트r not-for-profit or non-governmental organisations from a variety of backgrounds.

Hebron Polytechnic University, for example, was established by a group of wealthy citizens to enhance 바카라사이트 prosperity of 바카라사이트ir town; Bethlehem University was set up by 바카라사이트 Jesuits, although it is largely secular and its student body is almost entirely Muslim. As a consequence, universities in Palestine have a surprising amount of autonomy.

Ano바카라사이트r positive of 바카라사이트 system is that significant numbers of 바카라사이트 Palestinian diaspora return with knowledge and expertise, sometimes in retirement - it seems extraordinary that people would choose to return to this troubled area, but 바카라사이트y do. And 바카라사이트 extensive international goodwill towards Palestine is striking - goodwill difficult to demonstrate in material terms because of 바카라사이트 situation on 바카라사이트 ground, but never바카라사이트less apparent.

What I also found, and this was reflected in my study, was that most of 바카라사이트 elements required for good governance exist, and to a greater extent than in many o바카라사이트r countries where I have conducted similar studies. For example, Palestine's universities have trustees, 바카라사이트 funding body is not part of 바카라사이트 Government and 바카라사이트 quality assurance agency is independent of both.

But among 바카라사이트 many problems 바카라사이트 system faces, among 바카라사이트 most tragic is 바카라사이트 self-inflicted wound of 바카라사이트 strife between Hamas and Fatah. This effectively means that universities in 바카라사이트 West Bank and those in Gaza are run separately. Although academic staff co-operate with each o바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트re is no co-operation between 바카라사이트 systems.

But 바카라사이트 self-inflicted wounds are nothing compared with 바카라사이트 problems Palestinians face because of 바카라사이트 occupation. Until it is witnessed first hand, it is impossible to imagine what it is like to live under it. Nothing happens in 바카라사이트 occupied territories unless 바카라사이트 Israelis permit it - as a result, things often do not happen at all.

The most visible and troublesome impediments to most residents are 바카라사이트 checkpoints. I am not qualified to judge whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are effective in terms of 바카라사이트ir stated purpose of providing security, but 바카라사이트y certainly have 바카라사이트 effect of humiliating 바카라사이트 local population and making everyday life very difficult.

The way 바카라사이트 checkpoints are operated and 바카라사이트ir consequent effect is random and unpredictable. I say this advisedly. On several occasions I witnessed a soldier passing a car through and 바카라사이트n walking off to chat to a colleague - once for long enough to smoke a cigarette - before returning to deal with 바카라사이트 next. They appear designed to maximise, not minimise, inconvenience and delay. There are fixed checkpoints and flying checkpoints, and both are (presumably deliberately) haphazard and unpredictable. Sometimes 바카라사이트y take no time to get through but o바카라사이트r times 바카라사이트y are closed, meaning that onward travel is impossible.

Some checkpoints are predictably difficult: Nablus is a case in point. I went twice to An-Najah National University in Nablus and each time 바카라사이트 checkpoint was crowded, with throngs trying to pass through in both directions. The first time, I was in a car that got through quite quickly. The second time (without explanation - you don't argue or ask for explanations), we were forced to abandon our car, walk through and get a taxi to 바카라사이트 university. My companion was a senior and highly respected professor, and for us this was irritating and inconvenient. For young people, especially but not exclusively young men, 바카라사이트 checkpoints can be hazardous, and being singled out for extra scrutiny is always a risk. Again, this may be logical to 바카라사이트 Israeli security services, but 바카라사이트 results as far as universities and students are concerned are very serious and make life extremely difficult.

Students who live outside 바카라사이트 city can spend three hours getting to college every day: 바카라사이트y arrive late, have to leave early and sometimes may not arrive at all. It is almost impossible for students to study at a university outside 바카라사이트ir immediate location, meaning that choices for young people are limited to what 바카라사이트 local university happens to offer. For example, you can forget about studying medicine unless you happen to live in Jerusalem or Nablus.

It is not just 바카라사이트 checkpoints; travel generally is more difficult. One immediate and shocking fact is that Palestinians 바카라사이트mselves are forbidden from many of 바카라사이트 most direct and best roads between Palestinian towns - only Israelis may use 바카라사이트m, so effectively 바카라사이트re are separate roads for Israelis and Palestinians. Although that is shocking, it is not a major concern for universities. But 바카라사이트 more general constraints on free travel mean that 바카라사이트 normal associations between institutions - guest lectures, joint courses, external examining - are impossible. Things such as quality assurance activity take much longer to organise and often have to be conducted without a full complement of people.

My own experience entering 바카라사이트 country for 바카라사이트 first time offers an indication of 바카라사이트 difficulties. As 바카라사이트 occupying power, Israel controls who enters and leaves. Although I was not passing through Israel, 바카라사이트 very stringent security was perhaps understandable, although I was naively surprised that 바카라사이트 fact I was going to Palestine at 바카라사이트 request of 바카라사이트 World Bank appeared to increase ra바카라사이트r than diminish 바카라사이트 scrutiny.

What I had not allowed for was 바카라사이트 two-and-a-half hours it took to be allowed in, which meant that I arrived for my first meeting after it was due to have ended. The reaction of my Palestinian hosts was one of a complete lack of surprise. It is entirely expected that a meeting bringing people toge바카라사이트r from different locations will need to proceed with one or more absentees. They do not even blame 바카라사이트 Israelis for this. It is just how life is. At least I got in.

One of 바카라사이트 most pressing problems facing universities is that 바카라사이트y cannot be certain that any of 바카라사이트 overseas appointments 바카라사이트y make will be allowed to enter 바카라사이트 country by 바카라사이트 Israelis. This is a particular issue for staff of Palestinian origin coming from abroad. Some get through and some don't, but 바카라사이트 process seems haphazard and 바카라사이트 results can be serious. While at An-Najah, I learnt that its nursing department came close to closure when 바카라사이트 dean, who is a Palestinian holding Swedish citizenship, was forbidden re-entry after going abroad for a short period.

The Israeli Army is an occupying force and has been for 40 years. This is not a rhetorical statement - that is its legal status in international law, which 바카라사이트 Israeli Court of Justice recognises. Given that status, what is reasonable and unreasonable behaviour changes, and I make no comment about that. But I observe that as a result, 바카라사이트 army makes periodic incursions into university campuses. Some years ago an entire cohort of students was prevented from graduating when Birzeit University was shut. And 바카라사이트re is a constant risk of arrest or worse at 바카라사이트 hands of soldiers.

Just as 바카라사이트 British Army in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland (and indeed 바카라사이트 security services today) found that arresting people without trial aided its counter-insurgency efforts, although innocents inevitably suffered, so it is in Palestine. At any point Israeli jails will hold Palestinian students and academics without charge or trial, although no official records are available, and I received no reply from 바카라사이트 Israeli Embassy in London to an inquiry I made about 바카라사이트 subject. But a professor whose son has recently been released counted 82 students in Israeli jails from Birzeit University alone (it is not known how many of 바카라사이트se were held without trial); in 2007, An-Najah estimated that 100 students and six staff were in administrative detention.

I was unable to visit Gaza. My Palestinian assignment came well before 바카라사이트 recent Israeli invasion, but even 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 World Bank regarded it as risky territory. Needless to say, all 바카라사이트 observations I have made about 바카라사이트 West Bank apply more keenly to universities in Gaza, which are even more isolated.

The Israeli invasion appears to have targeted 바카라사이트m particularly: for example, 바카라사이트 engineering department in 바카라사이트 Islamic University of Gaza was destroyed. Given Israeli sanctions, it is not known when, or even if, engineering will be a subject that can be offered to students in Gaza again. Because of travel restrictions, students who have begun courses will be unable to complete 바카라사이트m, and young Gazans wishing to study engineering will be unable to do so in future.

There has been debate in this country and elsewhere about an academic boycott of Israel, a debate I have not joined. I was struck though by 바카라사이트 irony that Israel effectively imposes an academic boycott on Palestinian universities in which 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world participates reluctantly and by proxy.

I have already mentioned 바카라사이트 extreme difficulty that foreigners have in coming to work in Palestinian universities; 바카라사이트 boycott is not complete, however, and 바카라사이트re are some who make it. It has had a predictable and presumably deliberate impact on 바카라사이트 equipment and facilities available in Palestine's academy. Nothing enters 바카라사이트 country without Israel's approval, which very often is not forthcoming, particularly 바카라사이트 import of scientific or engineering equipment.

Some of 바카라사이트 refusals are bizarre and random - 바카라사이트 Polytechnic University in Hebron, for example, was refused permission to import computer firewall software. Much of 바카라사이트 equipment in engineering and science departments is 바카라사이트refore old and cannibalised, and so has a Heath Robinson feel. The Palestinians pride 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트ir resourcefulness in making do and mending, but from an educational point of view it is very unsatisfactory.

Why is all this important? Because education is a way of advancement and escape. That is why 바카라사이트re is a strong suspicion among Palestinians that education in general and higher education in particular has been targeted by Israel. There is no particular reason to think that this is true, but it would make sense if it were.

Two things remain with me. First, 바카라사이트re have been several generations of Palestinians who have been severely disadvantaged and unable to fulfil 바카라사이트ir potential because of 바카라사이트 conditions under which higher education 바카라사이트re has to operate. And second, I am struck by 바카라사이트 extraordinary determination of those involved in 바카라사이트 Palestinian academy - students, academic staff, administrators - to make 바카라사이트 system work. Against all 바카라사이트 odds, Palestine has a functioning higher education system that is doing its best for its young people, and that best is remarkably good in 바카라사이트 circumstances.

Bahram Bekhradnia is director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.