Palestinian Universities under Occupation 15 May–15 August 1988

Abstract

Palestinian universities in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip have now been closed for nine months-an unprecedented academic year. At the beginning of August, universities learned of the extension of their monthly closure orders from the newspapers rather than from official sources; in mid-August, the news that all universities would remain closed, definitely until 1 October and afterwards, "until further notice" came also via the media. Faced with this further indefinite closure, educators and administrators are trying to adjust to the conditions of the uprising. While some universities have been able to maintain at least a presence through "traditional" staff and student activities, others have not, and virtually none has developed functional or creative alternatives to closed campuses.