The Middle East Forum (MEF) is an American conservative think tank founded in 1990 by Daniel Pipes, a prominent neoconservative scholar and commentator on Middle Eastern affairs. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, MEF focuses on promoting American interests in the Middle East and North Africa through research, publications, and advocacy, and is known for its pro-Israel and anti-Islamist policies. It strongly supports Israel, opposes Islamist extremism, and actively campaigns against the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel. The organization publishes the Middle East Quarterly, funds legal challenges to BDS initiatives, and supports campus efforts to counter perceived radical Islamist influences in Western societies through programs like Campus Watch, which monitors Middle East studies programs for alleged biases. MEF funds projects aimed at influencing U.S. and European foreign policy in the Middle East. Daniel Pipes serves as president, with a board including figures like Winfield Myers. The think tank has been influential in conservative circles, providing testimony to Congress and shaping policy debates on Iran, terrorism, and Arab-Israeli relations. Funding comes from private donations, primarily from conservative philanthropists, with reported annual revenues around $2-3 million in recent years based on public tax filings. MEF has faced criticism for promoting Islamophobic views and has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) since 2019 for allegedly conflating mainstream Islam with extremism. It has been accused of funding anti-Muslim initiatives and influencing anti-immigration policies in Europe. Despite controversies, MEF maintains it defends Western values against jihadism and authoritarian regimes.