Key facts
- Palestinian students and researchers have been offered scholarships at Belgian universities.
- Belgian government coalition disagreements are preventing evacuations from Gaza.
- Other European countries have implemented systems to help Palestinian students travel for studies.
- Visas can be obtained, but the primary obstacle is the inability to leave Gaza.
- Belgian universities have formally requested government assistance for the scholars.
A group of Palestinian students and researchers who have secured scholarships at Belgian universities face an uncertain future as disagreements within Prime Minister Bart De Wever's coalition government have halted evacuation efforts from Gaza.
Despite receiving scholarship offers in June to begin classes this fall at institutions like the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Hasselt University, and the University of Antwerp, the students are currently unable to travel out of Gaza. While countries such as Italy and the U.K. have established systems to help Palestinian students take up study places abroad, Belgium's efforts have stalled.
The situation highlights a tension between Belgium's pro-Palestine stance and the Flemish nationalist-led government's stricter migration policies. A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt acknowledged that evacuations are a competence of the Foreign Office but stated there is no consensus within the government.
University leaders have expressed frustration, with Anne Weyembergh, vice-rector at Université Libre de Bruxelles, arguing that if other EU countries can organize student evacuations, Belgium should too. She noted that some coalition parties are particularly reluctant regarding migration issues, affecting not only students but also foreign colleagues needing visas for conferences.
Ten heads of Belgian universities signed a letter in July to De Wever and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot, urging government assistance for the scholars' safe departure. The obstacles are described as procedural and political. While some students have managed to obtain visas with legal help, the fundamental issue remains the inability to leave Gaza.
Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories stated it facilitates student evacuations upon request from a third country. However, a spokesperson for Belgium's foreign ministry indicated no decision has been made to organize further evacuations, though the department is actively investigating possibilities. Two government officials anonymously suggested that the Reformist Movement (MR) party and De Wever's New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) are opposed to additional evacuations.
Scholarship recipients like Salwa Abu Elhaj, who received a Master's offer from KU Leuven, expressed deep disappointment, stating that those blocking their evacuation are "destroying dreams." The scholars emphasized in their letter that they are not seeking waivers of immigration requirements but a practical way to fulfill them under exceptional circumstances. The European Commission has facilitated evacuations for medical treatment but considers student evacuations a member state responsibility. Meanwhile, Italy and the U.K. continue to welcome students from Gaza, with Belgian officials citing "logistical issues" as a reason for inaction, a claim universities dispute.