This impressionistic thread, recorded by Manar al-Houbi, a PhD student from Gaza, is heartbreaking. Her family unable to come with her to the United Kingdom, despite her receiving a fully funded scholarship to study at the University of Glasgow. Al-Houbi’s doctoral research seeks to explore the role of media and education in preventing violence against women and achieving peace. Her journey has since taken a heartbreaking turn. Israeli airstrikes reduced her home to rubble in Rafah at the start of the new war.
Currently residing in a tent in Khan Younis, al-Houbi completed visa applications for her family, hoping they could accompany her to the UK. Al-Houbi has a valid scholarship and visa that allow for family inclusion. Despite this, she recently found that her family will not be permitted to continue to travel with her.
“It was almost too good to be true,” al-Houbi said about her scholarship. She dreamed of a clean slate in the UK, so she could study hard and stay focused on her goals. Her dream was to go back to Gaza and inspire women by creating educational programs that raise awareness and foster change.
Al-Houbi’s case has since caught the attention of a number of politicians, academics and activists who have been pushing for Palestinian students to receive offers from UK universities. Scottish Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has written to Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, asking him to convene an urgent meeting to resolve al-Houbi’s case.
Prof. Alison Phipps, al-Houbi’s academic supervisor, emphasized her qualifications for the scholarship, stating, “She is such an excellent candidate for a scholarship that she was able to pick the scheme that allows her to bring dependents.” However, the UK government’s policy generally prohibits most international students from bringing their families with them, complicating al-Houbi’s situation further.
According to the Palestinians in Gaza, these challenges are only made worse by the geopolitical landscape preventing her family from leaving. David Lammy noted, “It’s important to understand that we are actually dependent on Israeli permissions to bring those people out, and that has not been easy to get.” A spokesperson for Cogat stated, “The fact that the UK government hasn’t even bothered to make a request on my family’s behalf is heartbreaking.”