The Center for Jerusalem Studies: A Research Beacon Preserving Palestinian Heritage in Jerusalem’s Old City

In one of the oldest buildings in the Old City of Jerusalem, just meters away from the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre sits Al-Quds University’s Center for Jerusalem Studies.

In 1998, Al-Quds University decided to preserve the Mamluk archaeological site of Khan Tankaz as Palestinian cultural heritage. Khan Tankaz is in the heart of the ancient Cotton Merchants’ Market, known in Arabic as “Souq al-Qattanin,” and today, it is home to the Center for Jerusalem Studies.1

The university established the center to support the city and its people through academic and cultural programs, such as a master’s in Jerusalem studies, research initiatives, Arabic courses for nonnative speakers, and tours. In 2007, the first group of students joined the master’s program and thus far, 78 male and female students have graduated; 20 students are currently enrolled.2

Jerusalem Story sat down with Dr. Youssef al-Natsheh, director of the Center for Jerusalem Studies. He began the conversation by highlighting the historical and geographical significance of the center’s location. He added that the site includes two Turkish baths, “al-Shifa” and “al-‘Ayn,” also known as hammams in Arabic, and it is located only meters from al-Aqsa Mosque, which was the first qibla (direction of prayer) in Islam, before it was changed toward Mecca by divine revelation. The complex was first built by Prince Sayf al-Din Tankaz al-Nasiri, a ruler during the Mamluk era, who also developed several architectural projects in Jerusalem, al-Natsheh explained.

According to al-Natsheh, Khan Tankaz is considered a revivalist architectural, economic, social, and heritage center that occupies an area of about 4,000 square feet. Its location also acts as a line of defense for al-Aqsa Mosque. Behind the complex’s southern wall is the end of a tunnel that was dug by Israeli authorities; inside sits a hall from the mid-13th century Mamluk era that was adapted into a Jewish heritage museum where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held two government meetings. Khan Tankaz is bordered to the north by settlement outposts that Israeli officials forcibly implanted in the Old City; and to its west, by a Jewish synagogue. Its only remaining untouched space is the ablution site of al-Aqsa Mosque on the complex’s eastern side.3

Al-Natsheh emphasized that the university’s presence in this unique location is “a testament to resilience and endurance, as it occupies and develops the site to serve the Palestinian Jerusalemite Arab community in light of the difficult circumstances.”

Regarding the center’s social and academic vision, al-Natsheh discussed the importance of researching, investigating, and documenting Jerusalem’s history that is found in ancient texts. He also stressed the need to document the city’s current circumstances and recognize its future value. Since there was widespread interest in understanding life in Jerusalem during past epochs, such as the Crusader invasion, al-Natsheh believes that future generations will likely be intrigued with life during the decades-long period of Israeli occupation.

“In the future, many people will be interested in knowing the daily details of the Palestinians’ steadfastness during the period of the Israeli occupation. This is the reason why we are documenting and cultivating a generation of researchers who have the means and tools to help preserve this great heritage,” al-Natsheh said.

The establishment of the Center for Jerusalem Studies is especially crucial given the proliferation of Israeli research centers in different areas that often promote a Judeo-centric biblical narrative. Al-Natsheh explained that the discourse surrounding Jerusalem is increasingly dominated by the Israeli narrative, bolstered by their substantial economic and human resources and tools, which help address and shape Western public opinion through various languages and methodologies.

“We are up against an intellectual alliance and a large void that prompted the launch of the Jerusalem studies center. Our aim is to bridge a gap concerning Jerusalem’s history and heritage, particularly in terms of narrative and associated concepts,” al-Natsheh said.

“While we confront major problems, Jerusalem remains a city of heritage with distinct Arab and Islamic characteristics, despite enduring 56 years of Judaization,” he added.

Al-Natsheh, however, was keen to point out that the establishment of the center was not only aimed at responding to and commenting on the Israeli narrative, but rather delving into thorough research and analysis that offers a fresh academic perspective on Jerusalem.

Moreover, the president of Al-Quds University, Dr. Imad Abu Kishk, highlighted the university’s master’s program in Jerusalem studies as a response to the dominant narrative that increasingly favors the Israeli perspective due to Israel’s extensive research presence.4

“We were concerned that the Palestinian narrative would be overshadowed with the Arab and Islamic worlds citing Israeli research in the future, along with potentially misleading narratives. Therefore, we launched a master’s program featuring research and scholarly dissertations that offer an alternative perspective with a focus on Jerusalem and the preservation of its authentic narrative,” Abu Kishk said.

Securing a research budget is one of the primary challenges for Palestinian academic institutions, exacerbated by insufficient scholarships amid the high cost of living. Al-Quds University offers a substantial 40 percent discount on tuition fees for students in this specific program, along with efforts to secure 30 percent of the tuition through grants, which leaves the remaining 30 percent for students to pay.5

“The attack on the university and the Israeli refusal to recognize certain majors solely because its campus is in Jerusalem [within Israeli-defined municipal boundaries] casts a shadow over the center. Under normal circumstances, enrollment in the departments would have exceeded 35 students per batch,” Al-Natsheh said.

Despite the hurdles and resource constraints, the center has published several research papers and master’s theses authored by its graduates that have earned academic acclaim. One thesis, “The Moroccan Rab‘a [Quran] Preserved within the al-Aqsa Mosque,” was presented by researcher Samar Bkirat, an expert in heritage, restoration, and preservation of manuscripts. Bkirat participated in the restoration of the “Moroccan Rab‘a,” a Quranic manuscript that was written in 1344 by the Sultan of Morocco, Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Uthman ibn Ya‘qub ibn ‘Abd al-Haqq al-Marini, and donated to the al-Aqsa Mosque. Till today, it remains among the collections in the Islamic Museum at the al-Aqsa Mosque.

Adly Nasser al-Din, a student in the master’s program, is currently completing his thesis on the development of lighting in al-Aqsa Mosque before the introduction of electricity. He previously obtained a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

Nasser al-Din shared with Jerusalem Story his analysis of ancient texts, particularly travel memoirs, to uncover how the first qibla was illuminated before electricity was invented. He discovered a significant disparity in the accounts of lantern usage within the mosque’s covered prayer halls.6

“Several travelers claimed that the northern prayer hall was lit with 5,000 lanterns, while others suggested it was 2,000. Yet another account exceeded these numbers, stating there were 25,000 lanterns lighting up the space,” Nasser al-Din relayed.

“This substantial variation in figures led me to pursue a master’s thesis on this topic, and I am currently engaged in the research, investigation, and collection of further information,” he added.

Nasser al-Din also observed a correlation between the quantity of lanterns used to illuminate the mosque in the past and the strength of the ruling Islamic state and consequently, the influence of its endowments. He also noted a consistent disparity in the number of lanterns used to illuminate the outer courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque compared to those inside the prayer halls, where worshippers gathered to read the Quran and which were greater in number.

Further, the Jerusalem studies program offers students the opportunity to study law. Professor of Law Munir Nuseibah told Jerusalem Story that under his guidance, students delve into the field of international law with a focus on the status of Jerusalem as an occupied city. The curriculum involves a thorough examination of numerous United Nations resolutions pertaining to Jerusalem and other relevant measures on the international stage.7

Students also engage with Nuseibah in scrutinizing violations of economic, social, civil, political, and cultural rights, aiming to acquire a comprehensive legal understanding of Jerusalem. Nuseibah underscores the program’s significance in cultivating a new generation of Jerusalem specialists who are well-versed in various aspects of the city. Those who go through the program—many of whom are educators, Department of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs employees, tourist guides, physicians, pharmacists, and engineers—graduate with comprehensive expertise in law, history, urban planning, and religion, among other topics. They graduate eager to explore and deepen their understanding of the city, Nuseibah said.

With its array of learning opportunities for students in an immensely unique and historic location, the Center for Jerusalem Studies certainly serves as a pioneering research hub, producing insights for the Jerusalemite community and anyone interested in furthering their knowledge of this occupied city.