Publications

Palestinian History in Postage Stamps
Collection of Nader Khairiddine Abuljebain


Beirut: Institute for Palestine Studies and Welfare Association, 2001. 436 pp. $80.
Available through Welfare Association, Amman Office: welfare@awelfare.org.jo

Nader Khairiddine Abuljebain turned his childhood hobby of stamp-collecting into a lifelong pursuit of documentation of Palestine identity. He has published the fruits of his passion for philately and history in the elegantly produced, Palestinian History in Postage Stamps.
In recreating the actual size stamp images with identifying text in Arabic and English, Abuljebain evokes a century of struggle for Palestine and the cultural-political history of Palestine.
In the Preface to this book, Dr. Anis Sayigh reminds us of the magical properties of stamps, which transport us to distant lands and occupy a place in, and fuel, our memories. In the case of Palestine, Sayigh writes that the miniature stamps should spur the reader to action: "Awake from your slumber and regain your homeland!" For many Palestinians in the world, stamps may be one of the few avenues in which Palestine appears in a tangible way.

Old City of Jerusalem Revitalization Plan
Welfare Association/ Old City of Jerusalem Revitalization Programme (Ramallah: 2003) $30.

This publication is the updated English version of the first Palestinian-initiated development plan for the Old City of Jerusalem, originally published in Arabic in 2002. It forms a dynamic and practical guideline for the comprehensive revitalization and rehabilitation of the delicate urban fabric of the Old City of Jerusalem.

The Plan is being used by Welfare Association’s Old City of Jerusalem Revitalization Program (OCJRP) in implementing its restoration and rehabilitation projects, but it will also be a useful reference and a planning tool for other Palestinian institutions interested in Old City development. The publication will also be informative for urban planners working in other cities as a kind of emergency priority plan for a World Heritage City at risk and under occupation. It documents the deterioration in living conditions in the Moslem and Christian quarters and identifies priority areas for restoration and rehabilitation of infrastructure, sadly neglected in recent decades.