PASSIA

PASSIA&mdash;the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs, Jerusalem&mdash;is a non-profit organization "located in Jerusalem/Al-Quds with a financially and legally independent status", "not affiliated with any government, political party or organization", that was "founded in March 1987 by Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi and by a group of Palestinian academics and intellectuals in Jerusalem," its website states.

Funding
In 1993 they received a grant from the NED (via the Foundation on Democratization and Political Change in the Middle East for $ 35,860 "On behalf of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA), to support a public education program aimed at young people, community leaders and professionals and designed to help reinforce democratic debate and practice and to increase understanding of democratic ideas and processes within Palestinian society in the Occupied Territories."

Controversy
NGO Monitor reports that (as stated):


 * "Funding for individual projects provided by the Rockefeller Foundation, Canadian Embassy, Tel Aviv, and the British and US Consulates in Jerusalem. Currently, PASSIA's "Civil Society Empowerment through Training and Skills Development program" is supported by USAID."
 * "Member of the Palestinian NGO Network, which was instrumental in producing many of the preparatory documents for the 2001 Durban conference including the document calling for embargoes on Israel."
 * "Active participant in the global campaign to boycott Israeli goods, and listed as a supporter alongside a variety of politicized anti-Israel groups."
 * "PASSIA has previously been the subject of investigations published by FrontPage magazine, which drew specific attention to PASSIA's USAID funded seminars, which include advocacy and lobbying, in order to spread anti-Israel propaganda to the media and beyond."

About
According to PASSIA's website (as stated):


 * It "seeks to present the Palestinian Question in its national, Arab and international contexts through academic research, dialogue and publication."
 * It "endeavors that research undertaken under its auspices be specialized, scientific and objective and that its symposia and workshops, whether international or intra-Palestinian, be open, self-critical and conducted in a spirit of harmony and cooperation."
 * Its "projects include a series of seminars on Diplomacy and Protocol, Strategic Studies, the European Community, and Education on Democracy."
 * Its "involvement in the question of Jerusalem remains extensive. It hosts regular workshops which address different but inter-connected problems concerning the holy city such as access to information, holy sites, Israeli settlement,and viable future municipal arrangements as capital for the two States."
 * It "cooperates and coordinates with other Palestinian institutions both inside and outside Palestine in its persistent efforts to ensure a wider understanding of Palestinian issues."
 * It, "by providing a forum for the free expression and analysis of a plurality of Palestinian perspectives and methodology, strives to develop and clarify its own and others' understanding of international relations as they affect the Palestinian struggle for justice and peace."


 * PASSIA Financial Support.

People

 * PASSIA Board of Trustees, Administration, and Staff.

Trustees

 * Mahdi Abdul Hadi - Chairman
 * Diana Safieh
 * Addnan Musallam
 * Sari Nusseibeh
 * Bernard Sabella
 * Said Zeedani - General Director, Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights, Ramallah.
 * Kamal Abdul Fattah

Administration & Staff

 * Deniz Altayli, Program Director
 * Sana Shannak, Administrative Director
 * Mahmoud Abu Rmeileh, Layout Design
 * Youssef Salman, Accountant
 * Wa'el Sa'adi, Auditor
 * Imad Farrah, IT Specialist

Contact Information
18, Hatem Al-Ta'i Street - Wadi Al-Joz P.O. Box 19545 Jerusalem / Al-Quds Phone: 972-2-6264426 FAX: 972-2-6282819 Email: passia AT palnet.com Website: http://www.passia.org/

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Lee Kaplan
 * Adrien Katherine Wing