U.S. revokes 3 Gaza students' visas

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Citing security concerns, the U.S. State Department has revoked the visas it recently issued to three Gaza students who were awarded Fulbright scholarships to study in the United States.
Sari Bashi, who advocates freedom of movement for Palestinians, says their access to education is restricted.

It marks the second time in two months that the United States has gone back on its offer to the Palestinian students to take part in the American government-sponsored scholarship program.

The three students who had their visas revoked were sent a letter from the American Consulate in Jerusalem, dated August 4.

"The Department of State has revoked your nonimmigrant visa" because "information has come to light that you may be inadmissible to the United States and ineligible to receive a visa under Section 212 (A) (3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibits issuance of a visa to aliens for security and related grounds," the letter said.

The letter did not elaborate on what the security concerns were. A State Department official told CNN that the agency could not disclose any information about the reason for the visa revocation, but that the students would be allowed to reapply for a visa at some point in the future.

The three students are among seven Gaza-based Fulbright scholars who made headlines when in May the State Department sent them e-mail notifications saying their scholarships could not be completed because the Israeli government would not issue them exit visas from Gaza.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack admitted that the U.S. authorities had not taken up the matter with Israel until after the matter became public. The scholarships were only reinstated after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed her unhappiness with the situation and the State Department spokesman admitted that a "faulty decision-making process" led to the communication.