URGENT APPEAL on the Situation in Gaza from Global Fulbright Alumni

Signed by 212 global Fulbright alumni and emailed by 23 alumni to the Fulbright Association and the U.S. Department of State over a period of 3 weeks between mid November and early December 2023. No reply so far. (last update: June 11, 2024)

NOTE: This petition was closed on July 14, 2024

Subject: URGENT APPEAL on the Situation in Gaza from Global Fulbright Alumni

Dear Fulbright Association and U.S. Department of State,

We are writing to you as global alumni of the Fulbright program with an urgent appeal.

We recently observed that the Fulbright Jordan LinkedIn page shared condolences for a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship alumnus Tariq Thabet, who, along with his immediate family, was killed in Gaza due to the Israeli aggression that has now been ongoing for over a month. While we appreciate the condolences of Fulbright Jordan, we are deeply concerned and disappointed by the absence of any acknowledgment of the genocide in Gaza from the global Fulbright Association and U.S. Department of State.

We have been following the tragic and devastating events unfolding in the Gaza Strip. Innocent civilians, including men, women, children, and older people have been enduring unimaginable hardships and horror due to the relentless bombings and the destruction of homes by the Israeli military, resulting in thousands of deaths. The death toll as of 13th of November 2023 is 11,240 people, with an average of 320 people killed per day since 7th of October 2023. This includes at least 4,630 children (source). Entire families have perished. In addition, tens of thousands have been displaced from the north to the south of Gaza, with no accommodation, forcing people to sleep on sidewalks or in universities (source). Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and the forced displacement of Palestinians is inhumane and indefensible, causing immeasurable suffering to innocent lives. But most importantly, these acts are funded by the very same entity that funds exchange programs worldwide, connecting nations with the United States. Programs ostensibly dedicated to fostering understanding, promoting coexistence, and dismantling stereotypes — the very elements that have fractured societies and ignited dispute and conflicts globally.

Therefore, as alumni of the Fulbright programs from across the world, and following in the footsteps of American scholars of Fulbright and other U.S. Department of State programs, we request the following actions from the Fulbright Association and U.S. Department of State, in accordance with Fulbright’s vision “to be a catalyst for a peaceful and interconnected world”(source):

1.Release a public statement that:

• Calls for a ceasefire and expresses solidarity with the Palestinian cause
• Names that Fulbright alumni include people from Gaza and Palestine
• Critically examines Fulbright’s policies and actions since 7th of October 2023 and in the 75 years of occupation of Palestine, in alignment with Senator J. William Fulbright’s legacy of critically examining Israeli policy (source).

As you condemned the attacks on Ukraine and expressed solidarity with Ukrainians, we urge you to condemn the aggression on Gaza and Palestine and express solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

2. Pressure the U.S. Congress to use its influence over the United Nations to enact a ceasefire immediately, given the historical relevance of Fulbright to the establishment of the UN and the relevance of Fulbright as one of the most prestigious scholarships sponsored by the U.S. government.

3. Check in on the well-being of the Fulbright alumni residing in and citizens of Gaza and Palestine and offer support and solidarity through all means possible — such as email, text messages, and phone calls.

We send this letter as the alumni of various Fulbright programs who have had the privilege of studying and engaging with a diverse set of people inside and outside the United States. We appeal to you to be reminded of America’s fundamental values: humanity, justice, and freedom, and to join many around the world taking action against these aggressions. Across the globe, several individuals and organizations have made statements, including former top UN official, Craig Mokhiber, who resigned from the UN with this letter. Deducing from Mokhiber’s letter and other global statements, the United States has a huge role to play in either stopping or allowing this genocide to continue. As administrators of a program that is funded by the U.S. Department of State, we wish to remind you of your critical responsibility and role in influencing your government and the UN.

In fact, the connection between Fulbright and the UN goes way back. In September 1943, “the House of Representatives adopted the Fulbright Resolution supporting an international peace-keeping machinery encouraging United States participation in what became the United Nations” (source). Furthermore, in 1970, in an attempt to push for peace, Senator J. William Fulbright “proposed that the United Nations impose peace on Israel and Arab states and that the United States guarantee Israel’s borders within its pre-1967 boundaries. His proposal also urged that the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation be granted self-determination”. Although “It was an extremely favorable proposal for Israel, giving it recognized sovereignty over the Palestinian land it had captured and held by force before 1967”, Israel rejected the proposal and “and Israel’s U.S. supporters increased their personal attacks on the senator.” In fact, Fulbright had long been labeled as an anti-semite before this incident “because of his critical views of Israel’s aggressive policies and its enormous influence in Washington.”(source).

As alumni, we appreciate Senator Fulbright’s reallocation of Vietnam War funds to establish the Fulbright program, in the belief that intercultural and interfaith relationships are powerful instruments for peace (source). We are also acting on Senator Fulbright’s wishes for “alumni to create an active constituency for the Fulbright Program that would educate Congress and the public about the benefits of advancing increased mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries’’ (source). For this mutual understanding to be achieved, we believe that it is it is imperative for the Fulbright program and the United States to take a clear position that opposes the genocide of Palestinians and to support their liberation against apartheid and occupation.

We hope this message will serve as an opportunity for Fulbright to realign itself with courage, integrity, and the critical eye of its founder. We cannot sit back in silence as this genocide of Gazans and Palestinians continues. And we urge you to join us.

Thank you for your attention to our concerns, and we eagerly await your response and actions.

Signed by:

(NOTE: Please find the most updated list of signatories here)

Ru’a Al-Abweh, Jordan, 2015–2018 Fulbright Foreign Student Program (pre-doctoral award)

Priyanka Borpujari, India / Ireland, 2016 Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence

Rawda Hamadneh, Jordan, 2020–2022 Masters.

Hadeel Mohammad, Jordan, 2015–2017 Graduate Program

Rawan Badarneh, United Arab Emirates, 2018–2019 Master program

Anonymous, Iraq, 2020–2023 Fulbright foreign student program ( master’s) scholarship

Rahmeh, Jordan, 2020–2022 Master’s program

Lisa Shahin, Jordan. 2020–2022 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Patricio Arrué, Chile, 2019–2023 Fulbright BIO Chile

Thaer Husien, US 2019–2020, Fulbright Scholar, Amman

George Zeidan, Palestine, 2018 Fulbright

Gustavo Setrini, Paraguay, 2008 IIE

Daniel Acosta, Panama, 2020–2022 IIE

Samina Salim, United States, 2021–2024 Fulbright Specialist Program

Yousra Shleibik, Libya, 2021–2022 Fulbright foreign student program

Rosana Alves, Portugal, 2015–2016 Visiting Scholar

Obada Alsaqqa, Jordan, 2013–2015 Graduate

Mariana Munoz-Araya, Chile, 2020–2024 Fulbright BIO

Anonymous, Jordan, 2013–2015 Masters

Anonymous, Iraq , 2015–2017 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Fatima Al-Nammari, Jordan, 2001–2006 PhD student

Ghada elhaffar, Bahrain, 2021–2023 Masters at UoW

Rand Abdul Nour, Jordan 2013–2015 Postgraduate

Vrouyr Joubanian Lebanon, 2012–2014 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Yasmeen Alawamleh, Jordan, 2018–2020 Masters Scholarship program

Najma Ghuloom, Bahrain, 2020–2021 Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Master’s Degree)

Sara Hamzeh, Lebanon, 2018–2020 Foreign Student Grant

Anonymous, Jordan, 2020 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Frida Kiriakos, Jordan, 2013–2015 Fulbright Scholar

Rana Dajani, Jordan, 2000–2002/2012–2013 Student/scholar

Cláudia Brito, Portugal 2017 Fulbright Portugal

Flávia Sousa Portugal, 2018 FCT Fulbright Scholarship

Tasnim Zahlan, Morocco, 2019–2020 ETA

Saad Altabari, Jordan, 2021–2022 Foreign Student Program

Anonymous, Palestine, 2020–2022 Amideast

Adie Alnobani, Jordan, 2016–2018 Master degree — Carnegie Mellon University

Umar Alkafaween, Jordan, 2019–2021 Foreign Student Program (Master’s)

Anonymous, Jordan, 2019–2021 Foreign Student Program

Azza El-Masri, Lebanon, 2016–2018 Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship

Nadine Alshakhshir, Jordan, 2019–2021 Masters program

Jennifer Tucker, United States, 2013 & 2019–2021 Student & Scholar

Raffaella Taylor-Seymour, United Kingdom, 2015–16 Postgraduate Student Award

AOS, Jordan, 2020 Pre-doctoral study

Isa Foster, USA, 2019–20 Research Fellowship

Nour Hassoun, Lebanon, 2021–2022 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Jude Kawwa, Jordan, 2016–2018 Masters Program

Ayat Husseini, USA, 2022–2023 Jordan

Nadia Muijrers, Bahrain, 2012–2014 Fulbright Scholarship

Tahar Belkheir, Algeria, 2015 Yes

Maxwell Botrous, Egypt, 2021–2023 Master’s

Ege Yıldırım, Türkiye, 2006–07 Visiting scholar (non-degree), Pratt Institute

Muhanad Alfardan, Bahrain, 2018–2019 The Fulbright Graduate Scholarship

Mohamed Alqari, Bahrain, 2014–2015 Post Graduate

Maram Alqassab, Bahrain, 2018–2020 Fulbright AMIDEAST

Anonymous, United States, 2016–2018 Fulbright MA for MENA region in the San Francisco

Saba Ahmad, USA, 2015–2016 ETA in Turkey

Mohamed Halim Abdelbaset, Egypt, 2016–2018 Fulbright Student Program Master’s Degree

Anonymous, Russia, 2016–2018 VGS

Anonymous, Lebanon, 2015–2017 Fulbright Student Scholarship Program

Hamad Al-Rayes, Bahrain, 2008–2010 Fulbright Graduate Scholarship

Ahmed Ebeid, Egypt, 2017–2019 Egyptian Student Program — Master’s Degree

Anonymous, Jordan, 2020–2022 Jordanian Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Master’s Degree)

Tamer Al-Assa’d, Jordan, 2011–2012 Hubert Humphrey Fellowship

Anonymous, Jordan, 2014–2015 HHH

Anonymous, Palestine, 2017–2019 Foreign student exchange program

Wajahat Ali, Pakistan, 2017–2019 Masters

Abbas, Pakistan, 2018–2020 M.Sc

Turab Hassan, Pakistan, 2015–2017 Master’s

Nour AlGharibeh, Jordan, 2020 Masters program

Mohamed Hasseeb, Egypt ,2015 Fulbright Egypt. Masters fellow

Muhammad Waqas, Pakistan, 2017–2022 Fulbright PhD

Johnathan Norris, United States, 2023–2024 Fulbright-Hays DDRA

Amrita Shah, India, 2009–10 Nehru Doctoral and Professional fellowship

Maheen Rasheed, Pakistan, 2016–2019 Foreign Student

Etizaz Shah, USA, 2014–2016 Master

Anonymous, Pakistan, 2013–2017 Fulbright PhD

Anonymous, USA, 2009 Fulbright Pakistan

Mostafa Atalla, Egypt, 2018–2020 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Ahmed Hammad, Egypt, 2018–2019 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Muhammad Anees, Pakistan, 2015–2017 Fulbright Masters

Ismail Shah, Pakistan, 2015–2017 Fulbright Masters

Mohamed Hanine, Morocco, 2017–2019 Masters

Ilyass Khaouja, Morocco, 2015–2017 Study program

Anonymous, Pakistan, 2014–2019 Fulbright PhD program

Fatima Hafsa, Pakistan, 2016–2018 US Masters

Francisco Quintero, Colombia, 2016–2023 Minciencias Fulbright Colombia

Faris Alatar, Jordan, 2019–2021 The Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Hafsa Hassan, Pakistan, 2010 USEFP Fulbright scholarship

Zoha Tunio, Pakistan, 2020–2021 Foreign Fulbright Masters Program

Támara ortega, Chile, 2020–2024 Fulbright Bio

Bálint Erkel, Hungary, 2015–2016 Syracuse University VPA, Department of film

Anonymous, Pakistan, 2017–2019 Scholars Program

Addie Leak, Jordan, 2016–2017 English Teaching Assistant

Syed Mustafa Jamal, Pakistan, 2016–2018 Foreign Student

Anonymous, Pakistan, 2020–2022 Fulbright Masters

Anonymous, Pakistan, 2016–2018 USA

Kayo Mimizuka, Japan, 2019–2020 Fulbright Japan

Saba El Hanbali, Jordan, 2008–2009 Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Award

Christian O’Connell, United Kingdom, 2015–16 Elon Scholar Award

Zakeya Alsada, Bahrain, 2017–2019 Fulbright Scholarship

Anonymous, Egypt, 2017–2018 Amideast

Mennaatllah Mohamed Azmy Abdelhamid Mohamed, Egypt, 2018 Masters Program

Anonymous, Pakistan, 2018–2020 Fulbright Masters 2018

Anonymous Pakistan, 2017–2018 Masters

Huda Al-Hawaj, Bahrain, 2017–2019 Fulbright

Charlie Hoffs, USA, 2024 Fulbright Chile

Hannah Kasak-Gliboff, United States → Ghana, 2022–23 Open Study/Research Grant

Anonymous, United States, 2018 U.S. Student Research, Chile

Anonymous, Dominican Republic, (U.S. Fulbright in the DR) 2022–23 Research

Mais Abuali, Jordan, 2017–2018 Msc. Architecture & Urban Design

Rodrigo Morán, El Salvador, 2014–2016 Fulbright foreign student program

Anonymous, Chile, 2014–2016 IIE

Anonymous, Palestine, 2014–2016 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Lina Adwan, Palestine, 2006–2008 Fulbright foreign student program

Anonymous, Sub-Saharan Africa, 2022–2023 U.S. Student Program, ETA

Reem Almasri, Jordan, 2006–2008 Jordan

Ruba Musleh, Palestine, 2006–2008 Peace and conflict resolution

Anonymous, Lebanon, 2006–2010 Fulbright Exchange Program

Ilyas Mej, Morocco, 2006–2008 Masters degree

Taliah Rodriquez, United States, 2022–2023 Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (Ghana)

Anonymous, Pakistan, 2015–17 Masters

Muhammad Umer Qureshi, Pakistan, 2014–2016 Masters

Aktham Arabeyat, Jordan, 2023–2024 Hubert Humphrey Fellowship

Zein Z, Jordan, 2012–2014 AMIDEAST

Franco Borrello, Argentina, 2014–2016 Fulbright Student Program

Reema, Saudi Arabia, 2016–2018 Amideast

Anonymous, Bahrain, 2020–2022 Amideast — MPH

Andrés Soria Ruiz, Spain, 2014–2016 Fulbright scholarship for graduate studies in the US

Maria Larrosa Garcia, Spain, 2014–2015 Fulbright Spain.

Amani Alhadid, Jordan, June 2021 — August 2021 JFDP — 2021

Human, Jordan, 20216–2017 Research fellowship

Issrar Chamekh, Tunisia, 2017–2019 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Anonymous, Germany, 2023–2024 Student Researcher

Pilar Ochoa, Argentina, 2014–2015 Fulbright Scholar LLM

Silvia Mata-Marín, Costa Rica, 2014–2015 Fulbright International Scholar

Samar Mowafy, Egypt, 2014–2015 Fulbright Student exchange

Dalal Radwan, Palestine, 2017–2019 Fulbright Foreign student exchange program

Mohamed Rayane Ben Slimane, Tunisia, 2023–2025 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Sura Almaha, Jordan, 2019–2020 Master’s Program

Sandy Abueladas, Israel/Palestine, 2014–2016 Fulbright outreach

Anonymous, Lebanon, 2017–2019 Masters degree

Anonymous, Egypt, 2018–2019 Foreign Studies Program

Husain Alyusuf, Bahrain, 2013–2015 Bahrain

Anonymous, Morocco, 2006–2009 Moroccan Fulbrighter to the US

LK, Indonesia, 2022–2024 Master’s Degree

Raegan Sealy, UK, 2015–16 US-UK Scholar

Elio Saldana, Panama, 2020 Fulbright-Laspau

Israa Daas, Palestine, 2021–2022 Masters and PhD Program

Esther Sanchez de Leon, Spain, 2014–2016 Fulbright Spain

Anonymous, Spain, 2019–2021 FULBRIGHT GRADUATE STUDIES PROGRAM

Nihaya Jaber, Palestine, 2014–2016 MA

Rabia Anjum, Pakistan, 2016–2017 Foreign Fulbright Masters

Asrar Jaber, Palestine, 2017–2018 Hubert Humphrey Fellowship

Sana Gondal, Pakistan, 2020–2022 Fulbright Masters

Sadia, Pakistan, 2016–2018 Fulbright and Global UGRAD

Anonymous, Pakistan, 2017–2022 PhD

Fatima Hamna, Pakistan, 2017–2019 Fulbright Master’s

Khalid Shalan, Egypt, 2015–2016 Fulbright Egyptian Student Programme

Syed Hassan Gilani, Pakistan, 2016–2018 Fulbright Masters

Mai Mehanna, Egypt, 2015–2017 Fulbright Egypt

Maria Kanwal, Pakistan, 2020 PhD

Haironesah Domado, Philippines, 2013–2015 Graduate Program (Masters)

Muhammad Khisal Ahmed, Pakistan, 2018–2019 Graduate Studies Program

Najam Ul Hassan SHAH, Pakistan, 2018–23 Foreign Fulbright Student Program

Syed Amir Shah, Pakistan, 2018–2023 Fulbright PhD. Program

Ali Raza Shafqat, Pakistan, 2018–2019 Foreign Fulbright Program

Julia Mitzinneck, Germany, 2020–2021 Fulbright Graduate Scholarship

Ahmad Shawabkeh, Germany, 2011 Fulbright Diversity Initiative

Hojen Faraj, Germany 2023 Diversity Initiative

Anonymous, Germany, 2023 Diversity Initiative

Monika Frühsorger, Germany, 2023 FULBRIGHT DIVERSITY INITIATIVE

Seher Shafi, Pakistan, 2016–2018 Fulbright Masters Program

Yazid Hamdi, Germany, 2016–2017 Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Rayane Djaffafla, Algeria, 2021–2023 Foreign student

Reham Abdelsalam, Egypt, 2022–2023 Egypt Masters Students Program

Umar Farooq Ghumman, Pakistan, 2016–2018 Masters

Muhammad Adnan Hanif, Pakistan, 2016–2021 Ph.D.

Fares Nimri, Jordan, 2012–14 Postgrad

Rana Abu Ghazaleh, Palestine, 2006 Urban Planning

Sara Marie, Jordan, 2013–2015 Fulbright Foreign Students Program

Jacob Hutt, United States, 2013–2014 Israel

Sami K., Jordan, 2015–2016 Fulbright Foreign Student Program (pre-doctoral award)

Eliana Antonio, Angola, 2015–2017 Foreign Fulbright Scholarship

AnneMarie Brosnan, Ireland, 2015 Fulbright Scholar Program

Leah Galant, United States, 2021–2022 Germany

Anonymous, Germany, 2006–2007 Fulbright Foreign Student scholarship

Regina Castro Traulsen, Mexico, 2015–2016 Master

Khaliungoo Ganbat, Mongolia, 2015–2017 Fulbright Foreign Student

Anonymous, Mexico, 2019–2020 Fulbright ETA

Anonymous, USA, 2021–2022 Germany

Jon Rueda, Spain, 2023–2024 Fulbright Spain

Belén Liedo, Spain, 2023–2024 Predoctoral research

Anonymous, New Zealand, 2005–2006 Fulbright NZ

Muzammil lqbal, Canada, 2016–2018 Fulbright Masters in EE 2016

Rayane Djaffafla, Algeria, 2021 Foreign Student

Nadine Alshakhshir, Jordan, 2019–2021 Fulbright Masters Program

Anonymous, Germany, 2023 Diversity Programe

Najam Ul Hassan Shah, Pakistan, 2018–23 Fulbright Foreign Scholarship (Degree) program

Anonymous, USA, 2021–2022 Germany

Samar Alkhdour, Palestine, 2017–2019 Foreign Student Program

Monika Frühsorger, Germany, 2023 FDITU 2023

Alex Wall, United States, 2019–2020 Fulbright Student Grant to Germany

Matthew Straub, USA, 2019–2020 ETA Germany

Anas Filali, Morocco, 2020–2022 Study Grant

Isobel Williamson, USA, 2023–24 Schuman

Heny Htira, Tunisia, 2021–2023 MPA

Melati Abdul Hamid, Malaysia, 2006–2007 Fulbright Graduate Study Program

Julie Morel, USA, 2022–2023 India

Jessica Femenias, Dominican Republic, 2024 Student Grant

Alexander N. Alvara, United States, 2017–2018 Fulbright US Student Award in Canada

Anonymous, Bahrain, 2018–2020 Fulbright Graduate Scholarship

Nina Menkes, USA, 1995–96/2008–09/2015–16, MENA, Israel, Palestine