MEF Accomplishments

Our activities – "a veritable empire of Islamophobic [and] pro-Israel projects," according to a critic – have drawn the ire of George Soros, who has funded efforts to counter us. Below, a sampling covering several continents.

Countering Islamist Infiltration

  • Educated 60 members of Congress or their staff, leading to support for: (1) the Muslim Brotherhood Terror Designation Act moving through the House and Senate; (2) a House bill prohibiting the Department of Homeland Security from funding or collaborating with organizations or individuals associated with the Muslim Brotherhood; and (3) a House bill prohibiting foreigners from countries that do not respect religious liberties from funding religious activities in the United States.

Redefining a "Palestinian Refugee"

  • Educated 65 members of Congress or their staff, leading to language in the House State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill forcing the State Department to justify UNRWA's practice of Palestinian refugee proliferation and its ruinous impact on Middle East peace. The Jerusalem Post reported on this success.

Denying Islamist Political Influence

Defunding Islamist Groups

  • Uncovered 725 donations to U.S. Islamist groups worth $2.7 million from 54 corporate and community foundations. Top recipients include two groups associated with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas: Islamic Relief ($1,600,000) and CAIR ($458,000). We are in the early stages of educating these foundations – already, four have pledged to end or review such funding. Recalcitrant funders will be publicly pressured.

Exposing Middle East Studies Bias – San Francisco State University

  • Revealed that the university has quietly planned and implemented an exchange program with An-Najah University in the West Bank town of Nablus. Called a "greenhouse for martyrs" by Hamas, An-Najah is known for terrorist recruitment and indoctrinating students with radical Islam.
  • Sent letters to the chairs and ranking members of the nine congressional committees with jurisdiction over the issue, requesting federal action to prevent American universities from forming alliances with terrorist-friendly overseas institutions. Also sent letters to Gov. Jerry Brown and nine other California officials with jurisdiction over SFSU, calling on them to cancel the relationship.
  • Publicized the first know event facilitated by the program. The university sent numerous self-described "political prisoners" to An-Najah on the taxpayers' dime, including: Claude Marks, who once graced the FBI's "10 Most Wanted List"; and Laura Whitehorn, who served 14 years in prison for her role in bombing the U.S. Capitol in 1983.

Protecting the Public Discussion of Islam

  • Helped defeat the Muslim School of Montreal in Quebec Superior Court, after it brought a defamation suit against author Djemila Benhabib for saying the school gives its students "an indoctrination worthy of military camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan."
    "From now on freedom of expression will be better off in our democratic society," said Ms. Benhabib. "In helping me, the Middle East Forum's Legal Project has played such an important part in that matter."
  • Funded a successful defamation action against the notorious pro-Islamist/anti-Israel George Galloway in London's High Court. Galloway had accused an ex-aide, Aisha Ali-Khan, of conspiring with the UK Counter Terrorism Command to run a "campaign of dirty tricks" against him. He has withdrawn the allegations, paid damages, and agreed to pay her legal costs.

Taking the Offensive Against Israel-Boycotters

  • Convinced state pensions funds to divest from Israel-boycotters. Following our education efforts, the State of Illinois barred its pension funds from investing in 11 companies that boycott Israel; while the New Jersey legislature passed a law prohibiting its pension funds from investing in companies that boycott Israel.