France: Sorbonne runs a student exchange programme with Bir Zeit university but not with Israel universities

When a Jewish student at the French university Sorbonne inquired about joining the European Union student exchange programme Erasmus in a Israeli university, he was instead told he could apply for a placement at the Palestinian Bir Zeit University.

To his amazement he was told that Sorbonne has no exchange programmes with universities in Israel.

More: Europe Israël

This is what happened in 2000 at Bir Zeit:

Palestinian students have pelted the French prime minister with stones because of his condemnation of Hezbollah attacks against Israeli targets in southern Lebanon. Mr Jospin's getaway car Security officials struggled to protect Mr Jospin Lionel Jospin was hurriedly whisked away in an official car from the Bir Zeit University, in the West Bank town of Ramallah, where he had delivered a speech to the students. As he entered the auditorium, some students chanted: "Go away, you are a traitor." [...]

Even inside the armour-plated car Mr Jospin was not spared the anger of the students. They kicked the back and sides of the car, and one student was seen trying to force open the door nearest to the French prime minister, as others rained more stones on the vehicle. Some of the students jumped on top of the car. Palestinian security officials and Mr Jospin's bodyguards shouted and tried frantically to protect Mr Jospin.  The prime minister was reported to be lightly injured but not hurt.

More: BBC

Video of the attack: http://www.ina.fr/video/CAC00010517