Palestine: The Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People (PCR) in Beit Sahour; any problems with the Palestinian Authority
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 3 August 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | PAL37428.E |
| Reference | 5 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Palestine: The Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People (PCR) in Beit Sahour; any problems with the Palestinian Authority, 3 August 2001, PAL37428.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be9014.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on the PCR
The following description of the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People (PCR) and its activities is from the Home Page of the organization's official Internet Website at
Foundations
PCR is a non-profit, non-affiliate, non-religious organization formally registered under the auspices of Mennonite Central Committee in Jerusalem. Established as a group in 1988, PCR works to promote grassroots dialogue and joint work between Palestinians and people from different nationalities. Its main objective is to encourage peaceful solutions to the Palestinian cause through disabling existing stereotypes and prejudice. In addition, PCR works in the field of human rights and information dissemination. During the eleven years of its working life, The Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between People, Beit Sahour has:
Prepared and sponsored dialogue meetings between Palestinians, Israelis and people from all over the world. PCR activists engaged in hundreds of dialogue sessions with visiting groups from more than 35 different nationalities. This effort is aimed at compacting the negative image of Palestinians worldwide and at opening a grassroots communication fostering mutual respect, cooperation and understanding. Through the past years, thousands of Palestinians and Israelis joined dialogue meetings in PCR premises including family homes in Palestine/Israel and public/private institutions. The meetings continue today, and are now regularly held in the Center. Every other Thursday Palestinians, Israelis, and other International visitors come together for informative and political discussions.
Conducted joint Palestinian-Israeli non-violent popular resistance against injustice and violations of civil, national and human rights. Israeli and Palestinian activists of PCR took a leading role in the peaceful non-violent resistance against land expropriations and settlement building in Abu Ghoneim Mountain, Elkhader, Bethlehem, and Hosaan. In addition, PCR organized joint demonstrations and protests against the closure of the Palestinian areas, the IDF's brutal measures during the Intifada, and settler attacks against innocent civilian Palestinians.
Raised the Palestinian voice against the violations of Human Rights by initiating legal actions related to direct human rights issues and land expropriation. In addition, PCR combined political lobbying with legal actions and popular non-violent resistance to confront the Israeli settlement projects in the areas occupied by Israel during the 1967 war. The outstanding case is the case of "Har Homa" settlement on the Palestinian Mountain of Abu-Ghoneim.
Brought together the larger community through annual Candle Processions. These large marches through Beit Sahour serve as a protest marches, with special titles each year. The marches are held at Christmas time for greater press coverage and participation. Thousands of Palestinians and Israelis gather in Beit Sahour to light their candles and walk together for the common goal of peace. Rapprochement has sponsored seven marches thus far, and it has become a famous annual event.
Sponsored youth exchange programs with other countries (i.e. Sweden, Denmark). This program helped in equipping our younger generations with more knowledge and experience while establishing friendships and cooperation amongst the young people of the world.
Structure
As a grassroots organization, PCR's success is determined by community participation in all its programs and activities. There is however, a basic internal structure that keeps the organization sustained. There is a Board of Trustees made up of the Center's founders.
The Board meets every other month to discuss the main policies of the Center, and make final decisions concerning organizations involved with PCR. Under the Board of Trustees there is the Executive Committee and the Executive Director. The committee meets every two weeks to summarize the weeks' events and discuss future projects. The committee as well as the director oversee and approve all of Rapprochement's major activities. They instruct the coordinator to pursue or finish an activity, and approve all projects upon completion. The coordinator is the action-taker, the one who runs the center. The coordinator is also the one directly involved with all of the activists and responsible to organize the work of the activist group who are the main participants in most of the Center's main activities. The Center runs smoothly currently, but is looking to expand with the implementation of the many new projects.
So, our Mission is:
To overcome stereotypes and prejudice and build bridges between the Palestinians and people from all over the world.
To provide for human interaction in which Palestinians will be exposed to different cultures, norms and mentalities.
To help enhancing the chances for just and peaceful solution to the Palestinian cause.
To provide first hand information about Palestinians and the Occupied territories and the Palestinian Israeli Conflict.
To create opportunities for a democratic communal interaction among Palestinians in Palestine as well as Palestinians in Other Parts of the world. (20 April 2001)
The PCR Website has a section entitled "News, Facts and Comments from the Aqsa Uprising in Palestine" which provides information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective. The following headings are from that section of the Website:
News, Facts and Comments from the Aqsa Uprising in Palestine
Beit Sahour April 17 + 18 2001: The IOF completed the JOB. More Damaged homes
Beit Sahour April 16 2001: A new damaged house and an old man Injured
One more time in Beit Jala
Heavy attacks against the civilians in Beit Sahour again February 13th 2001
Bethlehem Last Night: The explosions were heard from Beit Sahour
Discovering ancient Graves in Beit Sahour: Graves under occupation, 1500 years old
More bombing in Beit Sahour: November 12 and 13. Israeli New Technology against civilians
Car Attack in Beit Sahour November 9th: Three Killed and nine Injured by Air-Land missiles
New Wave
New Attack
Another Kid: Moayyad Jawareesh, 13 years old shot dead in the head with a "Rubber Bullet"
A story of a Kid: Do not forget to keep your helmet on you when you leave your home in Palestine.
Settlers' Attacks: Israeli settlers attack Palestinian inside the green line, and the West Bank.
Special Units: Special Israeli units with civilian clothes.
Intifadat Al Quds (Jerusalem Uprising): Press Release 00/57 by AL-HAQ (News updates)
Press Release 00/58 by AL-HAQ (Settlers' Attacks)
Press Release 00/59 by AL-HAQ (Special Units)
Beit Sahour under shelling: Israeli troops used heavy weapons against civilians.
PYDG - Three Sessions of the Palestinian Youth Dialogue: Towards a Palestinian Youth Network in all over the world.
Some of the Israeli Violations of Human Rights: In the 51st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Old News, PCR wins the Pfeffer Prize 1995: Funded by (FOR), Nominated by MCC. (18 June 2001)
The PCR's relations with the Palestinian Authority
On 3 August 2001 a representative of the PCR stated, in reply to a written query from the Research Directorate, that relations between the PCR and the Palestinian Authority are good, and that to his knowledge there has been no case in which a person has been arrested or harassed in any way by the Palestinian Authority due to his or her association with the PCR. The representative added that at the moment, the PCR is not officially registered as an institution with the competent authorities in the Palestinian Authority, as it operates under the auspices of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Jerusalem. However, the representative added that the PCR is in the process of registering with the Palestinian Authority.
On 27 July 2001, a representative of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Jerusalem stated that "neither I nor anyone at MCC knows of any problems between the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between Peoples and the Palestinian Authority."
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Mennonite Central Committee, Jerusalem. 27 July 2001. Correspondence.
Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People (PCR), Beit Sahour. 3 August 2001. Correspondence.
_____. 20 April 2001 [last modified].
_____. "PCR Bulletin Board." 18 June 2001 [last modified].
Additional Sources Consulted
IRB websites
LEXIS/NEXIS
World News Connection (WNC)
Search engines including:
Copernic 2000