| Institute for Palestine Studies | |
| Size: | 200px |
| Abbreviation: | IPS |
| Formation: | 1963 |
| Type: | Research Institute |
| Headquarters: | Anis Nsouli Street, Verdun |
| Location: | Beirut |
The Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS) is the oldest[1] independent nonprofit public service research institute in the Arab world. It was established and incorporated in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1963[2] and has since served as a model for other such institutes in the region. It is the only institute in the world solely concerned with analyzing and documenting Palestinian affairs and the Arab–Israeli conflict.[2] It also publishes scholarly journals and has published over 600 books, monographs, and documentary collections in English, Arabic and French—as well as its renowned quarterly academic journals: Journal of Palestine Studies, Jerusalem Quarterly, and Majallat al-Dirasat al-Filistiniyyah. IPS's Library in Beirut is the largest in the Arab world specializing in Palestinian affairs, the Arab–Israeli conflict, and Judaica.
It is led by a board of trustees comprising some forty scholars, businessmen, and public figures representing almost all Arab countries. The institute currently maintains offices in Beirut, Paris, Washington, and Ramallah.[3]
The institute is independent of government, party, or political organization.[4] IPS activities are financed by income from its endowment, contributions and gifts from donors, and sales of its publications.
In 2006, the Institute for Palestine Studies launched the Congressional Monitor project, which tracks every legislative initiative introduced in the U.S. Congress that mentions Palestine or Israel or has bearing on the Palestinian–Israeli conflict. The project is online and users can access the legislation as well as the congressional record from which it is drawn through the Congressional Monitor Database. Tips on using the database as well as a quick guide to the U.S. legislative process are provided.
The institute was founded by three Arab intellectuals: Constantine Zurayk (Syria), Walid Khalidi (Palestine) and Burhan Dajani (Palestine) in response to the growing need for a fair narrative that generates knowledge and information from the Palestinians' side. This vision supported by eight intellectuals and prominent figures including Nabih Amin Faris, Maurice Gemmayel, Wadad Cortas, Fuad Sarrouf, Sa'id Himadeh, Edmond Rabbath, Charles Helou, Najla Abou Izzeddin.[5]
The institute's library is located at the institute's headquarters in Beirut. It is the largest in the Arab world specializing in Palestinian affairs, the Arab–Israeli conflict, and Judaica, with over 40,000 volumes, 400 current periodicals, 5,000 reels of film plus newspapers, maps, documents, and a large collection of private papers.[4] [6] It is also interested in studying and promoting knowledge of Hebrew.[4]
The institute publishes three quarterly journals in English and Arabic. These are independently edited and published from Washington, Paris, Jerusalem, and Beirut respectively. The journals are:
It has also published over 600 books.[4] It has published many first-person Palestinian accounts of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.[9]
The institute is led by a Board of Trustees composed of Arab scholars, businessmen, and public figures. A volunteer executive committee, elected by the Board, manage the regular activities.[10] The trustees come from most Arab countries, including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.[11]