The American State Department has accepted partial blame for not acting quicker to obtain visas for seven Gaza residents who were offered prestigious Fulbright scholarships. Senior State Department officials have taken up the issue with the Israeli government, which has claimed it previously was not aware of the problem.
Answering persistent questions of reporters, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Monday, "Was there a faulty decision-making process internal to the State Department in this particular case? Yes, there was. The Secretary saw it when it got to her level. She said 'fix it.' We hope that it has been fixed and that we are working with the Israelis to get these exit permits."