After two-week delay, Palestinians to take SAT college admission tests Saturday

American exams had arrived during Jewish holidays, when Israeli customs offices were closed, causing holdup

 JERUSALEM (AP) — The US State Department said dozens of Palestinian students whose SAT exams were delayed because of Israeli customs will take the test this Saturday.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Wednesday that about 100 students in the West Bank will sit the exam this weekend.

“I’m happy to say that we have learned that this issue has now been resolved,” Nuland said.

Mahmoud Amara, a Palestinian principal of the Friends School, said the rare two-week delay affected his students’ ability to apply for American universities. He said US officials told them the delay was because the exams arrived during a series of Jewish holidays, when Israeli customs offices were closed.

The SAT college admissions exams are administered in the West Bank by Amideast, an American non-profit.

A Harvard University publication had reported that the non-profit cancelled the exams in the West Bank.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.