This week in Palestine

http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/details.php?id=2941&edid=176&ed=176

Message from the Editor I cannot believe that it is that time of the year again! Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that I was writing about the arrival of spring and then the onslaught of the summer heat? And yet, here we are in December and the approaching holiday season that in this part of the world lasts well into January, what with all the different religious denominations that follow their own calendars. Oh well, this extends the festive atmosphere over one month rather than the more common one week elsewhere. Regrettably, on the political front, we have very little to celebrate. Our people remain divided, with the schism between both factions getting wider by the day. It now seems that we are in need of a miracle to bring about the longed-for - and long-awaited - reconciliation. It also appears that elections will not be taking place next January, as was initially announced. This will complicate matters more and will create a political vacuum that no one will benefit from. Corporate social responsibility, the focus of this month’s issue of This Week in Palestine, is a relatively new concept in Palestine. It is really commendable that corporations and firms, public and private institutions, can dedicate the time and the necessary resources to shoulder social responsibilities while operating in dire economic conditions and under great impediments such as restricted mobility, checkpoints, closures, etc. More and more firms are paying greater attention to the needs of their employees, empowering them with knowledge, training, etc., that benefit the employee while benefiting the firm as well. Outside the sphere of the firm, Palestinian companies are increasingly the funders and supporters of other institutions, mainly NGOs, be they cultural, educational, or social. The Bank of Palestine is one such institution that invests a lot in its social responsibility for the benefit of all Palestinians. Our thanks go to the Bank of Palestine for sponsoring this issue of This Week in Palestine as we celebrate our eleventh year this December. We also thank all our contributors, writers, staff, and readers. We wish everyone happy holidays and a better and brighter new year. Tony A. Khoury Editor-in-chief