The Palestine Center is an independent think-tank committed to communicating reliable and timely information about the Palestinian political experience to American policy-makers, journalists, students and the general public. Established in 1991, it is the educational program of the Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development.

Who we are

The Palestine Center’s purpose is to bring together people and resources within the American and Palestinian communities to educate about Palestine and the Palestinian people’s ongoing quest for sovereignty on their land, civil and political rights and an end to Israeli occupation.

The need for such an organization can be found in the effects of the economic, cultural and political oppression Palestinians have endured and which continues on a daily basis in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the surrounding refugee camps and for Palestinians world-wide as they struggle to retain their homeland.

Occupation is an economic and political determinant as much as a social and psychological barrier to self-determination. Palestinians’ ability to maintain their daily lives, build a strong civil society and participate in their democratic political system depends on international, humanitarian and non-governmental organizations such as the Palestine Center.

What we do

There are many ways the Palestine Center promotes a better understanding of Palestinians’ need for sovereignty, stability and freedom:

• Statistics, Maps, a Timeline of Events, and Briefings on subjects such as Palestinian refugees, the Oslo Peace Process and U.N. resolutions relating to Palestinians and the Arab-Israeli conflict

• Weekly Briefings in its Washington, DC offices on current events relating to Palestinian politics, Israeli-Palestinian relations, the status of women in the Middle East, U.S. policy in the Middle East, and more

• Transcripts and summaries of all briefings, lectures, conferences and book signings since 1999

• Televised Broadcasts of major Palestine Center briefings, book signings and conferences on C-Span and other news channels

• Expert Analysis of U.S. policy and socio-political events in the region

• Annual events including a lecture series, film series and annual conference for experts, policy makers, journalists and academics

• Special Reports and Publications providing more substantive, in-depth information on specific topics

• A quarterly Internship Program for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students

• The Sharabi Memorial Research Library, which holds over 2,500 monographs, pamphlets, films, rare books and periodicals addressing issues such as U.S. policy toward Palestine, the construction and evolution of Palestinian and Arab-Israeli identity, international and humanitarian law, traditional Palestinian embroidery designs, Arab political leadership and more

• An Email Listserv for event and publication announcements

• Briefings for high school and undergraduate student groups from across the United States. To arrange a student briefing with the Executive Director, email The Palestine Center or call 202-338-1290