Palestinian students in Turkey make appeal

A group of Palestinian students in Turkey on Saturday appealed to President Mahmoud Abbas to intervene after authorities changed the terms of their scholarships to study medicine. The 40 students said authorities in Turkey asked them to change their university majors from medicine due to restricted numbers on the course, several months after they had arrived in the country to start their medical careers. In an appeal received by Ma'an, the group called on Abbas and the PA Education Ministry to help them pressure Turkish authorities to retract the decision. In response, Abbas ordered officials to follow up on their case as a priority. The students said they had left their families and moved to Turkey, where they have already started learning the language and chosen their universities, specifically to study to be doctors. Medical training is important for Palestinians as the West Bank and Gaza Strip lack sufficient doctors and medical expertise, the students said.