A delegation of National Parliaments of the European Union and the EU candidates countries visited Islamic University of Gaza.
The expedition is led by Miloslav Vl?ek, Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. Representatives from a number of EU countries, including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, and EU candidates such as Turkey and Croatia.
The Parliamentarians composing the delegation hold different offices, such as Presidents of Committees on Foreign Affairs or Presidents of the Parliament or of the Senate.
Dr. Kamalain Sha’ath, IUG President, Dr. Mahmoud K. Okasha, Al-Azhar Vice President for Planning & Quality Assurance, Dr. Adel Awadallah, IUG Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Rifaat Rustom, IUG Vice President for IT & External Relations, and some university staff, received the delegation and took them a tour to witness the university damaged labs as a result of the recent war on Gaza Strip.
Dr. Sha’ath briefed the delegation about the university and its students and facilities as well as offered services for the community.
Dr. Sha’ath talked about the latest war aftermath that led a big destruction in the university buildings and facilities adding that we had 74 scientific labs destroyed in a two main buildings as a result of Israeli attack on December 28, 2008.
Dr. Okasha talked about the consequences of the imposed siege on the Palestinian students and university academic.
Dr. Okasha said ” parents couldn’t pay the tuition fees and our universities depend completely on external donations and tuition fees ; secondly, our universities couldn’t rebuild what was destroyed due to the lack of materials; in addition, our academics could not participate in the scientific and educational conferences abroad due to the borders closing” . In a final word, Dr. Okasha calls upon the delegation to send a message of ending the Gaza siege.
Mr. Vl?ek thanked IUG staff members for their reception confirming that the expedition created jointly by Parliaments of the EU with the presence also of Parliaments that are not yet part of the European Union but Members of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA) adding that one important aim to the coming is to understand and to know the situation in the region.
