Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations is an independent licensed corporation established in Beirut, Lebanon in 2004.
Overview
Al-Zaytouna Centre conducts strategic and futuristic academic studies on the Arab and Muslim worlds. It focuses on the Palestinian issue and the conflict with Israel as well as related Palestinian, Arab, Islamic and international developments.
Al-Zaytouna Mission
The Centre strives to raise the local, regional and international awareness about the realities and repercussions of the events in the region, with special reference to the Palestinian issue and the conflict with Israel. It also aims at attracting, qualifying and introducing researchers in west Asian strategic studies. The Centre seeks to establish a wide range database, and classifies it along the most modern scientific and technical methods. In active cooperation with scholars, experts and specialists, the Centre drives to publish scholarly studies. The Centre is also concerned with organizing training courses, conferences, seminars, lectures and brainstorming sessions.
Administrative Departments
1. Information and Archives Department.
2. Studies and Researches Department.
3. Translation Department.
4. Consultations and Training Department.
5. Website Department.
6. Public Relations and Media Department.
7. Administrative Affairs.
8. Finance Department.
General Manager
Prof Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh, is a professor of Modern and Contemporary Arab History (Palestine Studies), the general manager of al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations since 2004, editor-in-chief of the annual Palestinian Strategic Report, former head of Department of History and Civilization at the International Islamic University (IIUM), Malaysia, and former executive manager of Middle East Studies Centre in Amman. He was granted the Bait al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) award for Young Muslims Scholars in 1997 and the Excellent Teaching Award (College level), given by IIUM in 2002.
He is the author of 13 books and 18 chapters of academic books on the Palestine issue, and the editor of more than 90 books, including: The Palestine Strategic Report (11 volumes 2005–2019), The Palestine Documents (7 volumes 2005–2011), and The Palestine Daily Chronicle (6 volumes 2014–2019), in addition to editing the Strategic Assessment Series (117 assessments). He has published many articles in refereed scholarly journals and magazines, presented papers at more than 80 academic local and international conferences and seminars, published about 185 political analyses and situations assessments, and gave more than 360 television, radio and newspaper interviews.
Al-Zaytouna’s Board of Consultants
Al-Zaytouna Centre has a Board of Consultants of eminent scholars, thinkers and researchers, whose names are alphabetically listed below:
1. Prof. Dr. ‘Adnan al-Sayyid Hussein: Former President of the Lebanese University, former Lebanese minister of state.
2. Prof. Dr. Ahmad Mubarak al-Khaldi: Former minister of justice, former dean, Faculty of Law, An-Najah National University, Palestine.
3. Prof. Dr. Amin Mahmud Abdullah: Former minister of culture, former minister of higher education and scientific research, Jordan.
4. Prof. Dr. Bayan Nuwayhed al-Hout: Expert in modern Palestinian history.
5. Prof. Dr. Hassan Ahmad Ibrahim: Expert in African and Middle Eastern history.
6. Prof. Dr. ‘Imad al-Din Khalil: Thinker and historian.
7. Prof. Dr. Kamalin Shaath: Former President of the Islamic University of Gaza.
8. Dr. Mahmud al-Mubarak: Professor of international law, King Faisal University, KSA.
9. Prof. Dr. Mohammad al-Musfir: Professor of political science, Qatar University.
10. Mr. Munir Shafiq: Thinker and former director of the PLO Planning Bureau.
11. Mr. Salah ‘Abd al-Maqsoud: Former minister of Information, Egypt, and the Former director of Arab Media Centre.
12. Dr. Tareq al-Suwaidan: Thinker and management expert.
Former Board Members
The following consultants remained members until their death:
1. Prof. Dr. ‘Abd al-Wahab al-Masiri: Thinker and expert in Zionism and Israeli studies.
2. Prof. Dr. Anis al-Sayegh: Former director of PLO Research Centre.
3. Prof. Dr. Ishaq al-Farhan: Former minister of education, former president of the Jordanian University.
4. Prof. Dr. Mohammad ‘Amarah: Thinker and historian.
5. Prof. Dr. Mohammad ‘Issa Salhieh: Expert in Islamic and Arab history.
6. Prof. Dr. Mona Haddad Yakan: Former president of Jinan University, Lebanon.
7. Prof. Dr. ‘Omar al-Ashqar: Former dean, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Zarqa University, Jordan.
8. Dr. Salahuddin al-Dabbagh: Former member of the Palestine National Council and Executive Committee of the PLO.
The Centre’s General Policies
1. Al-Zaytouna Centre is an independent and non-governmental scientific center that is not affiliated to any party or group.
2. Studies and consultations are conducted solely to serve knowledge, truth and consolidate the legitimate rights of the people of the region.
3. Academic objectivity, accuracy of information and qualitative research will be strictly observed and pursued.
4. Collaboration and integration with similar centers and institutions is a priority for the Centre.
5. Openness to all ideas and new intellectual and political trends is a prime concern of the Centre.
6. The Centre does not accept any preconditioned funds that may adversely affect its mission and objectives.
The Centre’s Activities and Services
1. Data and archival material.
2. Researches and studies.
3. Palestine Strategic Report.
4. Annual Palestinian Documents.
5. Strategic Assessment and policy papers.
6. Information Report series.
7. “Palestine Today” electronic daily newsletter.
8. Website.
9. Specialized translations.
10. Conferences, seminars and lectures.
11. Participation in book fairs and conferences.
12. Consultations and training.
Among the Centre’s Achievements
1. The Centre publishes the periodic Palestinian Strategic Report in both English and Arabic languages, since 2005. A volume of about 350 pages that discusses the developments of the Palestinian issue in an objective and comprehensive manner. The meticulous analytical reading of events tries also to foresee the future. It covers the internal Palestinian situation, the Israeli scene and the Arab, Muslim and international stances toward the Palestinian issue.
2. The Centre publishes the annual Palestinian Documents, since 2005. A volume of about 900 pages including a wide range of Palestinian documents, beside many related Arabic, Islamic and international documents.
3. The Centre is the publisher of The Palestine Daily Chronicle series, since 2014. Each volume covers one year of important events, decisions and stances that express the nature of a phase or reflect the changes in political tracks.
4. The Centre is the publisher of Information Report series, which is a collection of concise academic studies (booklets) focusing on the Palestinian issue.
5. The Centre publishes Am I Not A Human? series, which highlights the different aspects of the suffering of the Palestinian people.
6. The Centre is the publisher of the Arabic daily electronic newsletter “Palestine Today,” that comprises the major news, stances and statements concerning the Palestinian issue, since May 2005.
7. The Centre has issued tens of specialized books that strictly observe high academic and qualitative standards.
8. The Centre has an active website in both English and Arabic languages. It has one of the higher numbers of hits among the websites of research centers that are specialized in the Palestinian issue.
9. The Centre holds periodic international conferences, panel discussions and brainstorming sessions on the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict. They have attracted wide interest of researchers, and received vast media coverage.