Georgetown’s restrictions barring student study abroad programs in nations with U.S. State Department security warnings, including Israel, remain in place almost two months after administrators said they were considering lifting the study abroad ban.

Katherine Bellows, interim director of the Office of International Programs, said the policy has not changed since study abroad in Israel was suspended in 2000 due to security concerns.

“At this point, the policy has not changed; however, there have been on-going discussions at the highest levels addressing all of the issues,” she said. “Unfortunately, I do not expect a resolution before the end of the academic semester.”

Study abroad in Beirut has also been under consideration at Georgetown. Last year, Georgetown had considered programs at the American University of Beirut and Universite Saint-Joseph, both located in the Lebanese capital city, and the programs were said to be in the end stages of approval. And while Michael Vande Berg, the outgoing director of the Office of International Programs, said he was hopeful to have a decision by the end of the fall 2004 semester, no such approval has been reached.

The State Department issued a new travel warning April 7 regarding Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

The State Department has urged U.S. citizens to leave Gaza since the Oct. 15, 2003, roadside bombing of a U.S. Embassy convoy in the area.

Matt Singer (SFS ’07), president of Georgetown Israel Alliance, said that he hoped the university could implement a plan allowing students to apply through an independent study program to study in Israel, effectively removing Georgetown’s accountability.

“I encourage students to go [to Israel],” Singer said. “It would be an incredible experience, whether you are Jewish, Christian or Muslim.”

Danielle Dray (COL ’07), who is currently waiting to hear back from OIP on her petition to study abroad in Israel at Tel Aviv University, said that she was unconcerned about the safety warnings.

“I feel safer in Israel than I do in America,” Dray, who has visited extended family in Israel many times, said.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Georgetown halted study abroad at its villa in Alanya, Turkey, citing security concerns. It later reopened the program.

Threat of an Iraq war also raised concerns for students studying abroad. In a February 2003 letter to parents of Georgetown students studying abroad, Vande Berg, then-director of international programs, discussed “the planning we are doing and the precautions we are taking in order to assist Georgetown University students during this crisis.”