Ten medical students from Gaza are still allowed to come to Norway

It happens after the government intervened and instructed the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) to grant the medical students visas.

– Here we have ten young Palestinians who want to complete their medical studies. We can contribute to that. It is a foreign policy goal that we implement by granting residence during this period to these students, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) to NRK.

Got rejected

In June, the University of Oslo (UiO) offered ten medical students from Gaza to complete their studies in Norway, but UDI put its foot down.

The reason was that they believed that the students would probably not want to go back, but would stay in Norway after the semester was over.

The refusals led to strong reactions, and several parties in the Storting asked the government to intervene. Since Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October last year, no students in Gaza have had classes.

Interferes

Basically, the government cannot influence UDI’s decisions in individual cases. But if the government believes that there are foreign policy considerations or other national interests that dictate that a different conclusion should be reached, they can intervene.

– The situation in Gaza is catastrophic, I think everyone can see that. Half of the hospitals have been completely knocked out, and a large part of the health personnel have been killed. This is a small but symbolically important contribution for young Palestinians who want to rebuild the health service, says Støre to NRK.

The medical students are affiliated with Al-Azhar University in Gaza, the Prime Minister’s Office states in a press release. This university has not been able to offer further education due to the hostilities.

The start of studies at UiO for the ten students is 19 August.

– Very happy

SV’s Lars Haltbrekken calls the decision wise and joyful.

– A great injustice is being righted here. Norway must do what we can to rebuild the health care system in Gaza, which is in ruins. We are very happy that these ten medical students can now complete their studies in Norway, he tells NTB.

Tobias Drevland Lund, immigration policy spokesperson in Rødt, says he sent a written question last Thursday about whether the government would meet with UiO to find a solution.

– Red was the first party to demand that the government review the UDI and grant visas to the Palestinian medical students. It is very gratifying that the Palestinians are now allowed to come anyway, and from Norway’s side this is an important contribution to rebuilding the healthcare system in Gaza, he tells NTB.

– Not a fair asylum policy

The FRP is critical of Støre verifying UDI’s assessment in the case and calls it an unfortunate political interference.

FRP’s immigration policy spokesman, Erlend Wiborg, tells NTB that he believes that the students neither can nor will return to Gaza.

– This is supported by the fact that they had study options in other countries, but absolutely wanted to go to Norway, which happens to have among the world’s best benefits for asylum seekers, says Wiborg.

He says that the matter must be seen in the context of the fact that the Støre government is also bringing 20 wounded Palestinians to Norway plus 80 companions, all of whom Wiborg assumes will be granted permanent residence in Norway.

– It is neither a strict nor fair asylum policy, to go out and actively bring a select few to the country in this way.