A grim anniversary for universities

More than a year after the 51-day war last summer between Israel and Palestine, Palestinian universities are still suffering from the damage, and professors and students are struggling to cope, writes Asma’ Jawabreh and Rasha Faek for Al-Fanar.

During the war, Israel launched thousands of air strikes on Gaza, while Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israel. An estimated 100,000 Gaza residents are still homeless in the wake of the fighting, according to the Association of International Development Agencies. Three Palestinian universities were directly hit by airstrikes, while eight suffered collateral damage, according to a UN independent commission.

Universities have cut professors’ salaries in half and asked them to share offices. Administrators have told professors to lower their expectations for course materials, visiting lecturers and instruction time. The same electricity shortages that prevent clean water from reaching homes also often cut classes short or prevent students from completing their homework on time. An Israeli blockade is preventing reconstruction materials from entering Gaza.
Full report on the Al-Fanar Media site