US revokes visas to Palestinian Fulbright scholars

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US government as a "safety precaution" revoked visas it had issued to four Palestinian recipients of prestigious Fulbright fellowships, the State Department said Tuesday.

"We had interviewed four scholars. We had issued visas," said State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos.

But, Gallegos said that "subsequent to the issue of the visas to the students, who live in the Gaza Strip, we received additional information that we believe was pertinent and needed to be reviewed further before they were allowed entry into the United States," he said.

"We did what we call a prudential revocation of their visas, which is a safety precaution that we undertake to make sure that all potentially relevant facts about an alien are thoroughly explored...