The Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS) is the only institute in the world exclusively devoted to documentation, research, analysis, and publication on Palestinian affairs and the Arab-Israeli conflict. It was established in Beirut in 1963 and incorporated there as a private, independent, non-profit Arab institute unaffiliated with any political organization or government. It is led by a Board of Trustees composed of Arab scholars, businessmen, and public figures, and by a volunteer Executive Committee elected by the Board.

Trustees come from most Arab countries, including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen. IPS’s library, located at the Institute’s headquarters in Beirut, is the largest in the Arab world specializing in Palestinian affairs, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Judaica. The Institute also has offices in Washington, Paris, and London and an affiliate, The Institute of Jerusalem Studies, in East Jerusalem. Its full-time professional staff in these offices (administrators, researchers, translators, and secretaries) numbers about 50.

Throughout the Arab world, IPS is looked upon as the major source of accurate information and analysis on Palestinian affairs and the Arab-Israeli conflict and as a model of institutional organization and independence. In the English and French speaking worlds, its publications are widely respected and extensively used in academic work on these issues. Many of the leading Arab scholars working in this field have served for various periods of time on the staff of one of the IPS offices, contributed to IPS publications, or received research fellowships from the Institute.