Dear Friends and Supporters, 

As 2023 draws to a close, I wish to reflect on the strides the Middle East Forum made this year, particularly in relation to Israel – and your unwavering support that has been instrumental to our achievements.

Today, Giving Tuesday, we ask our supporters to come alongside us in this fight and donate to help us raise $100,000 specifically to make sure that October 7 is never repeated.

Shaping Public Opinion

Our coverage in promoting our strategy and policies thus far has been vast. We have been present on every Hebrew news channel five or six times a day, and we are being covered by every Israeli print and digital news outlet. In the United States, we have been featured in many influential publications and appeared on primetime cable news shows.

Here are a few examples:

• Op-Eds: Our scholars have published more than 150 articles since October 7, including in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. For an updated list in real time, with links, see here.
• Radio and television: MEF staff and fellows have appeared on Israeli, American, and European television and radio networks. Here are some examples: Fox News, Bloomberg, Israel’s main television stations, and even Al Jazeera.
• Social media: We actively engage audiences with infographics, videos, and live interactions across X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, using both organic and paid messaging along with geotargeting and geofencing in Israel, the United States, the West Bank, and Gaza.

Taking Action

Some notable accomplishments in 2023:

1. Ongoing Advocacy Against Hamas: MEF produced a series of articles calling for the elimination of Hamas. Our insistence on defeating Hamas has helped change public opinion on this issue, as reflected in our poll, which shows 70 percent of Israelis now support our position.
2. Push to Suspend Qatar as a Major Non-NATO Ally: MEF worked with Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) to introduce a bill to suspend Qatar’s major non-NATO ally status unless they cease supporting Hamas and other terrorist groups.
3. Foreign Funding in Education/The DETERRENT Act:  Using language provided by MEF, Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA) introduced the DETERRENT Act, which is designed to bring transparency to foreign funding in U.S. universities. The act seeks to impose penalties for non-disclosure of such funding and focuses on Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China.
4. Exposed Hamas Fundraising in United States: An MEF investigation uncovered over $260 million sent through 501(c) non-profits to Hamas-aligned "charities" operating in the United States. Donors include corporate foundations, employee-giving schemes, community organizations, and private foundations.
5. Divestment Campaign Against Qatar: In response to the October 7 attacks in Israel, MEF initiated the “Divest from Qatar” campaign, encouraging U.S. companies to divest from Qatari investments. The campaign is predicated on allegations of Qatari support for the terrorist organization Hamas, thereby emphasizing MEF's stance on combating sources of funding for terrorism. 

In the Giving Tuesday spirit of collective action for worthy causes, we respectfully ask for your support. Your contribution enables us to build upon these successes and face new challenges.

Thank you for standing with us in our mission to promote peace, security, and stability in the Middle East.

Warm regards,



Gregg Roman
Director, Middle East Forum
T: +1-215-546-5406 ext. 104
Roman@MEForum.org
 
Please address all questions about contributions to Gregg Roman, Roman@MEForum.org or 215-546-5406 ext. 104.

 (1) Online via Credit Card: Supporting the Forum is most easily done at our website: www.meforum.org/participation/. (The website is secure and encrypted; your personal information cannot be read as it travels through the Internet.)
 
(2) Personal Check via the Postal Service – Use the donation card and envelope included in this mailing: Please make a check payable to “Middle East Forum” and mail it to:
 
Middle East Forum
1650 Market Street, Suite 3600
Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA
 
(3) Stock Donations: Donations of stock may be wired to:
 
Vanguard Marketing Corporation
Account Name: The Middle East Forum
Account Number: 59334817
DTC Number: 0062
 
Donations of stock may be sent by U.S. mail (with a letter of instruction) and sent to:
 
Vanguard
P.O. Box 1110
Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110
 
If you donate stock, please email us at donations@MEForum.org or call 215-546-5406 x104 to inform us of the gift so that we may thank you.
 
(4) Planned Giving: A gift in perpetuity enhances the Forum’s capabilities while allowing you to transfer more wealth to your heirs at a lower cost. Each of the following 4 methods serves a different purpose and fits a specific investment plan:

1. Charitable Bequest – to remove assets from a taxable estate and make a larger contribution than may be possible during one’s lifetime.
2. Life Insurance – to gain a charitable income tax deduction for the cash surrender value and premiums of a life insurance policy.
3. Retirement Plan – to reduce the size of a taxable estate, avoid income taxation on those funds, avoid income and estate taxes, and increase the amounts passing to heirs.
4. Charitable Trust – to see philanthropy in action, making transfers to heirs at a lower tax cost and designating beneficiaries to receive payments for life or a term of years. Three types of Charitable Trusts: Charitable Remainder Trust, Charitable Lead Trust, Retained Life Estate.

 
For more information on MEF's Legacy Society, please contact Gregg Roman, MEF's director, at 215-546-5406 ext. 104 or Roman@MEForum.org.