{{Short description|US-based foreign policy think tank}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox organization |image = Meflogo.gif |formation = {{Start date and age|1990}} |type = 501(c)(3) nonprofit<br/>think tank |leader_title = President |leader_name = Daniel Pipes |abbreviation = MEF |location = Philadelphia |revenue = $4.61 million<ref name=propublica>{{cite web |title=Middle East Forum - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237749796 |website=ProPublica |language=en |date=9 May 2013}}</ref> |revenue_year = 2024 |expenses = $4.58 million<ref name=propublica/> |expenses_year = 2024 |website = {{official URL}} | logo_size = 250px }}
The '''Middle East Forum''' ('''MEF''') is an American conservative<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/14/washington/14cair.html|title=Scrutiny Increases for a Group Advocating for Muslims in U.S.|first=Neil|last=MacFarquhar|newspaper=The New York Times|date=14 March 2007}}</ref> 501(c)(3)<ref>{{cite web |title=Middle East Forum |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237749796 |website=projects.propublica.org |date=9 May 2013 |publisher=ProPublica |access-date=22 April 2024}}</ref> think tank founded in 1990 by Daniel Pipes, who now serves as its chairman. Gregg Roman serves as director of the forum.<ref>[http://www.fpa.org/topics_info2414/topics_info_show.htm?doc_id=125024 "Middle East Forum"] listed in "Search Results" and "Resource Library" on the website of the Foreign Policy Association; cf. organization website for [http://www.meforum.org Meforum.org], Middle East Forum, one of [http://www.danielpipes.org/sites.php DanielPipes.org"], "Daniel Pipes's websites" (incl. its "Mission" statement), all accessed 24 February 2007.</ref> MEF became an independent non-profit organization in 1994. It publishes a journal, the ''Middle East Quarterly''.
==History== The Middle East Forum was founded in 1990 by Daniel Pipes as an independent non-profit organization with the mission of "promoting American interests." In 2002, the MEF advocated for strong U.S. ties with Turkey, Israel, and other pro-American governments in the region, a stable price for oil, human rights, and peaceful conflict resolutions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 April 2002 |title=American Forum Policy, Islam topic of talk tonight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/545881022 |access-date=11 December 2023 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=North Adams Transcript |page=7 |language=en}}</ref> It publishes the Middle East Quarterly and runs various advocacy programs.<ref name=CAPmis>{{cite news |url=https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2011/08/pdf/islamophobia_chapter2.pdf |title=The Islamophobia misinformation experts |publisher=Center for American Progress}}</ref> Pipes said in 2003 that "militant Islam is the problem and moderate Islam is the answer."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caruso |first=David |date=13 April 2003 |title=Peace think tank selection stuns Muslim groups |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/424569130 |access-date=11 December 2023 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Atlanta Constitution |page=A7 |language=en}}</ref> The left-leaning Center for American Progress and the Southern Poverty Law Center have criticized the MEF for spreading anti-Islamic messages.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pitts |first=Jonathan |date=18 January 2018 |title=Foreign affairs council won't disinvite critic of 'militant Islam' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/374930728 |access-date=11 December 2023 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Baltimore Sun |page=A3 |language=en}}</ref>
==Activities== ===Support for Tommy Robinson=== In 2018, the MEF stated that it had been "heavily involved"<ref name="meforum.org-tommy-robinson-free-mef-heavily-involved">{{cite web |first1=News from the Middle East Forum |title=Tommy Robinson Free – MEF Heavily Involved |url=https://www.meforum.org/7290/tommy-robinson-free-mef-heavily-involved |website=Middle East Forum |author=Gregg Roman |date=1 August 2018 |access-date=1 June 2019 |language=en}}</ref> in the release from prison of British anti-Islam activist and far-right political operative<ref name="AutoMS-4">*{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ap-uk-far-right-figure-tommy-robinson-jailed-for-contempt-2018-5/?IR=T|title=UK far-right figure Tommy Robinson jailed for contempt|work=Business Insider|date=29 May 2018|access-date=15 June 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180615070645/http://uk.businessinsider.com/ap-uk-far-right-figure-tommy-robinson-jailed-for-contempt-2018-5/?IR=T|archive-date=15 June 2018|url-status=live}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-eu--britain-far-right-20190226-story.html|title=Facebook erases far-right activist's page, Instagram profile|work=Chicago Tribune|date=26 February 2019|access-date=8 March 2019}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.theweek.co.uk/94132/morrissey-defends-tommy-robinson-and-new-far-right-party|title=Morrissey defends Tommy Robinson and new far-right party|work=The Week|date=7 June 2018|access-date=15 June 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180615071038/http://www.theweek.co.uk/94132/morrissey-defends-tommy-robinson-and-new-far-right-party|archive-date=15 June 2018|url-status=live}} *{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/far-right-provocateur-tommy-robinson-jailed-over-court-rant-9kgwggssz|title=Far-right provocateur Tommy Robinson jailed over court rant|first=Fiona|last=Hamilton|work=The Times|date=30 May 2018|access-date=15 June 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180615071936/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/far-right-provocateur-tommy-robinson-jailed-over-court-rant-9kgwggssz|archive-date=15 June 2018|url-status=live}} *{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5294192/tommy-robinson-jailed-trial-roseanne-barr/|title=Why Tommy Robinson Was Jailed, and Why U.S. Rightwingers Care|magazine=Time|date=29 May 2018|first=Siobhan|last=Morrin|access-date=15 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615072647/http://time.com/5294192/tommy-robinson-jailed-trial-roseanne-barr/|archive-date=15 June 2018|url-status=live}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/why-was-tommy-robinson-arrested-far-right-activist-jailed-13-months-947525|title=Why was Tommy Eobinson arrested? Far-right activist jailed for 13 months for 'prejudicing rape trial'|work=Newsweek|date=29 May 2018|first=Ewan|last=Palmer|access-date=15 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615073021/http://www.newsweek.com/why-was-tommy-robinson-arrested-far-right-activist-jailed-13-months-947525|archive-date=15 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Tommy Robinson, who is best known as a co-founder, former spokesman and former leader of the English Defence League (EDL) organization, and for his service as a political adviser to the leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), Gerard Batten.<ref name="AutoMS-5">{{cite web|url=http://www.radicalism-new-media.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/The_EDL_Britains_New_Far_Right_Social_Movement.pdf|title=The EDL – Britain's Far Right Social Movement|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121031539/http://www.radicalism-new-media.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/The_EDL_Britains_New_Far_Right_Social_Movement.pdf|archive-date=21 January 2012|publisher=Radicalism and New Media Research Group, University of Northampton, 22 September 2011|access-date=2 February 2012}}</ref> They revealed that "the full resources of the Middle East Forum were activated to free Mr. Robinson",<ref name="meforum.org-tommy-robinson-free-mef-heavily-involved"/> which included: conferring with Robinson's legal team and providing necessary funds; funding, organizing and staffing the "Free Tommy" London rallies on 9 June and 14 July, which was, they claim, reported by ''The Times'', ''The Guardian'', and ''The Independent''; funding travel of the US congressman, Rep. Paul Gosar, Republican from Arizona, to London to address the rallies; and lobbied Sam Brownback, the State Department's ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, to raise the issue with the UK's ambassador, which he did.<ref name="meforum.org-tommy-robinson-free-mef-heavily-involved"/><ref name="US-conservative-think-tank">{{cite news|title=This hardline US conservative think tank says it's funding Tommy Robinson rallies in the UK |date=14 July 2018 |work=iNews |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/free-tommy-robinson-funding/ |first=Luke |last=Bailey}}</ref> The MEF has itself been considered a part of the counter-jihad movement.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Donald Trump, the anti-Muslim far right and the new conservative revolution|first=Ed|last=Perwee|year=2020|journal=Ethnic and Racial Studies|volume=43|issue=16 |pages=211–230|doi=10.1080/01419870.2020.1749688|s2cid=218843237 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
Georgetown University's Bridge Initiative reported in 2018 that the MEF had received millions of dollars from Donors Capital Fund ($6,768,000), the William Rosenwald Family Fund, the Middle Road Foundation, and the Abstraction Fund.<ref name="Bridge">{{cite web |title=Middle East Forum {{!}} Factsheet: Islamophobia {{!}} The Bridge Initiative |url=https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research/factsheet-middle-east-forum/ |website=Bridge Initiative |publisher=Georgetown University |access-date=17 July 2022 |date=14 August 2018}}</ref>
===''Middle East Quarterly''=== {{Infobox journal |italic title=no | title = Middle East Quarterly | cover = Middle east quarterly.jpg | former_name = | abbreviation = Middle East Q. | discipline = Middle Eastern studies | editor = Jonathan Spyer | publisher = Middle East Forum | country = United States | history = 1994–present | frequency = Quarterly | openaccess = Yes | license = | impact = | impact-year = | ISSN = 1073-9467 | eISSN = | CODEN = MEQUFZ | JSTOR = | LCCN = 94660065 | OCLC = 644061932 | website = https://www.meforum.org/middle-east-quarterly/ | link1 = https://www.meforum.org/middle-east-quarterly/current-issue | link1-name = Online access | link2 = http://www.meforum.org/meq/archive.php | link2-name = Online archive }} {{distinguish|The Middle East Journal}}
''Middle East Quarterly'' was founded in 1994 by Daniel Pipes and the current editor-in-chief is journalist and Middle East analyst Jonathan Spyer.
====Reception==== In 2002 Juan Cole, a professor at the University of Michigan and a Campus Watch target, accused the journal of making "scurrilous attacks on people".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Michelle |title=Mau-mauing the Middle East |url=http://www.salon.com/2002/09/30/campus_2/ |website=Salon |access-date=3 May 2022 |date=30 September 2002}}</ref> In 2014, Christopher A. Bail of Duke University described it as a "pseudo-academic" journal with editorial board members who share an ideological outlook, adding that while it appears to present legitimate academic research, it is regularly criticized "as a channel for anti-Muslim polemics".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bail |first1=Christopher |title=Terrified : how anti-Muslim fringe organizations became mainstream |date=2014 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-15942-3 |pages=29–30}}</ref>
====Abstracting and indexing==== The journal is abstracted and indexed in: *EBSCO databases<ref name=MIAR>{{cite MIAR |title=Middle East Quarterly |issn=1073-9467 |access-date=3 May 2022}}</ref> *Index Islamicus<ref name=MIAR/> *International Bibliography of the Social Sciences<ref name=MIAR/> *Modern Language Association Database<ref name=MIAR/> *ProQuest databases<ref name=MIAR/> *Scopus<ref name=Scopus>{{cite web |url=https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/145265 |title=Source details: Middle East Quarterly |publisher=Elsevier |work=Scopus Preview |access-date=3 May 2022}}</ref>
===Campus Watch=== In 2002, the Middle East Forum launched an initiative called Campus Watch that it said would identify "analytical failures, the mixing of politics with scholarship, intolerance of alternative views, apologetics, and the abuse of power over students" within academia.<ref>Qtd. from "Mission Statement," in [http://www.campus-watch.org/about.php "About Campus Watch"], ''Campus Watch'' (''campus-watch.org''), n.d., accessed 17 February 2007.</ref> Winfield Myers is the director of Campus Watch.<ref>[http://www.meforum.org/staff.php "Who's Who at Campus Watch"], ''Middle East Forum'' (''meforum.org''), n.d., accessed 15 September 2022.</ref>
Initially, Campus Watch published the profile of eight university professors and teachers, who, it said, were "hostile" to America and "preaching dangerous rhetoric to students". This led around 100 professors to accuse Campus Watch of "McCarthyesque" intimidation and ask that their names be listed on Campus Watch too.<ref name=Schevitz>Tanya Schevitz, [https://web.archive.org/web/20021025062818/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/09/28/MN227890.DTL "Professors Want Own Names Put on Mideast Blacklist"], ''San Francisco Chronicle'' 28 September 2002, accessed 17 February 2007.</ref> Subsequently, Campus Watch removed the list from its website.<ref name=Schevitz2>Tanya Schevitz, [http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/209 "'Dossiers' Dropped from Web Blacklist"], ''San Francisco Chronicle'' 3 October 2002, accessed 17 February 2007.</ref><ref name=Ayloush>Hussam Ayloush, [http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/416 "Column a Slur on Muslim Community"], ''Orange County Register'' 1 December 2002, accessed 17 February 2007.</ref>
=== Israel Victory Project=== The Israel Victory Project, launched in 2017, is an initiative aimed at securing an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by putting pressure on Palestinians to end anti-Israel terrorism and acknowledge Israel's legitimacy as a Jewish state, rather than through bilateral negotiations. Daniel Pipes has stated that "Peace is not made with enemies; peace is made with former enemies."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Seaman |first1=Daniel |title=Missing from the election buzz: How to end the conflict |url=https://www.jns.org/opinion/missing-from-the-election-buzz-how-to-end-the-conflict/ |website=JNS.org |date=7 April 2019 |access-date=29 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title="Israel Victory Project" launches new round on Israeli campuses |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/238415 |access-date=29 May 2019 |work=Israel National News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Daniel Pipes and the Israel Victory Project - Arab-Israeli Conflict - Jerusalem Post |url=https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Daniel-Pipes-and-the-Israel-Victory-Project-584733 |access-date=29 May 2019 |work=www.jpost.com}}</ref>
In March 2026, Dr. Martin Sherman, a participant in the Israel Victory Project, said it was unfeasible to de-radicalize Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and instead they needed to be expelled from there.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-28 |title=Deradicalizing Gaza is likely an unattainable goal |url=https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-891255 |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en |quote=The only way Israel can ensure how the Gaza Strip will be governed, and who will govern it, is to govern it itself. Moreover, the only way Israel can govern the Gaza Strip without becoming an external oppressor of “another people” is to remove “the other people” from the confines of the Gaza Strip itself.}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Politics|United States}} *List of think tanks in the United States
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
==Further reading== *Rubin, Barry; Colp, Judith (2004). ''Hating America: A History''. New York: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-516773-2}}.
== External links == *{{Official website|http://www.meforum.org/}} *[https://www.meforum.org/middle-east-quarterly/ Middle East Quarterly] *[https://www.danielpipes.org/mef.php Daniel Pipes], the Middle East Forum, founded in 1990
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Category:Middle East Forum Category:Daniel Pipes Category:Foreign policy and strategy think tanks in the United States Category:Political and economic think tanks in the United States Category:Islam and politics Category:Counter-jihad Category:Critics of Islamism Category:Foreign policy political advocacy groups in the United States Category:501(c)(3) organizations Category:1990 establishments in Pennsylvania Category:Arab studies Category:Conservative organizations in the United States Category:Political magazines published in the United States Category:Academic journals established in 1994 Category:Quarterly journals Category:Middle Eastern studies journals Category:Open-access journals