Hamline Law School, St. Olaf suspend summer studies in Israel

Hamline University School of Law and St. Olaf College have suspended study-abroad programs in Israel.

Hamline for several years has offered a summer program at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The program includes courses in Israeli law, law and medical ethics and conflict resolution. It was scheduled for June 24-July 31 this year.

A university spokesman said Thursday that the escalating violence in the Mideast led administrators to cancel the program.

St. Olaf's program, which started in 1974, takes as many as 25 students to Israel, Morocco and Turkey. The three-month program also was canceled during the Gulf War. The school also moved a month-long study program in geography and the Bible from Israel to Turkey and Greece.

Pat Quade, director of international and off-campus study at St. Olaf, said, "The issues of security and risk are greater than we're willing to take with students' safety."