Difference between revisions of "Middle East Media Research Institute"

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|website=http://www.memri.org/
 
|website=http://www.memri.org/
 
|abbreviation=MEMRI
 
|abbreviation=MEMRI
 +
|constitutes=propagandist
 
|slogan=Bridging the language gap between the Middle East and the West
 
|slogan=Bridging the language gap between the Middle East and the West
 
|powerbase=http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Middle_East_Media_Research_Institute
 
|powerbase=http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Middle_East_Media_Research_Institute
 
|sourcewatch=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Middle_East_Media_Research_Institute
 
|sourcewatch=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Middle_East_Media_Research_Institute
|members=Bernard Lewis,James Woolsey,Elie Wiesel,Jose Maria Aznar,Stephen J. Trachtenberg,John Bolton,Stuart Eizenstat,Josef Joffe,John Ashcroft,Ehud Barak,Irwin Cotler,Mortimer Zuckerman,Michael Mukasey,Lafif Lakhdar,Jana Hybaskova,Norman Podhoretz,William Bennett,Paul Bremer,Lord George Weidenfeld,Yehuda Bauer,Khaled Fouad Allam,Alfred Moses,Herb London,Natan Sharansky,James Q. Wilson,Edgar Bronfman,Max Kampelman,Yohanan Friedmann,Ikbal Al-Gharbi,Christopher DeMuth,Shaker Al-Nabulsi,Magdi Khalil,Faraj Sarkouhi,Deborah Lipstadt,Amel Grami,Michael V. Hayden,Keith Alexander, Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.,Guy Cosentino,Heino Klinck,Imam Hassen Chalghoumi,Adrienne S. O'Neal,Katrina Lantos Swett,Dorothy Denning,Douglas J. Feith,John Poindexter,Chin Ho Lee,M.K. Narayanan,Anne Speckhard,Rohan Gunaratna,Amb. Husain Haqqani,Patrick Desbois,Alan Dershowitz, Elham Manea,Louise Ellman ,Daniel Lacalle, Deepinder Singh,Mort Zuckerman, Jeffrey Gedmin,Anthony Julius,Steve Stalinsky,Menahem Milson,Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,Newt Gingrich,Jason Altmire,Michael Andrews,Joe Barton,Mike Bishop,Henry Bonilla,Mary Bono,Ben Chandler,Mike Conaway,Jerry Costello,Ander Crenshaw,Carlos Curbelo,Lincoln Davis,Jeff Denham,Lincoln Diaz-Balart,Eliot Engel,Bill Flores,Luis Fortuño,Pete Gallego,Bob Goodlatte,Tom Graves,Jane Harman,Peter Hoekstra,Steve Israel,Ric Keller,Peter King,Frank LoBiondo,Connie Mack,Kenny Marchant,Kendrick Meek,Jeff Miller,Susan Molinari,Connie Morella,Solomon Ortiz,Bill Paxon,Judge Ted Poe,Adam Putnam,Dave Reichert,Silvestre Reyes,Peter Roskam,Dennis Ross,Steven Rothman,Loretta Sanchez,Bill Shuster,Lamar Smith,Steve Stivers,Pat Tiberi,Dave Trott,Henry A. Waxman,Ted Yoho   
+
|members=Bernard Lewis,James Woolsey,Elie Wiesel,Jose Maria Aznar,Stephen J. Trachtenberg,John Bolton,Stuart Eizenstat,Josef Joffe,John Ashcroft,Ehud Barak,Irwin Cotler,Mortimer Zuckerman,Michael Mukasey,Lafif Lakhdar,Jana Hybaskova,Norman Podhoretz,William Bennett,Paul Bremer,Lord George Weidenfeld,Yehuda Bauer,Khaled Fouad Allam,Alfred Moses,Herb London,Natan Sharansky,James Q. Wilson,Edgar Bronfman,Max Kampelman,Yohanan Friedmann,Ikbal Al-Gharbi,Christopher DeMuth,Shaker Al-Nabulsi,Magdi Khalil,Faraj Sarkouhi,Deborah Lipstadt,Amel Grami,Michael V. Hayden,Keith Alexander, Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.,Guy Cosentino,Heino Klinck,Imam Hassen Chalghoumi,Adrienne S. O'Neal,Katrina Lantos Swett,Dorothy Denning,Douglas J. Feith,John Poindexter,Chin Ho Lee,M.K. Narayanan,Anne Speckhard,Rohan Gunaratna,Amb. Husain Haqqani,Patrick Desbois,Alan Dershowitz, Elham Manea,Louise Ellman ,Daniel Lacalle, Deepinder Singh,Mort Zuckerman, Jeffrey Gedmin,Anthony Julius,Steve Stalinsky,Menahem Milson,Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,Newt Gingrich,Jason Altmire,Michael Andrews,Joe Barton,Mike Bishop,Henry Bonilla,Mary Bono,Ben Chandler,Mike Conaway,Jerry Costello,Ander Crenshaw,Carlos Curbelo,Lincoln Davis,Jeff Denham,Lincoln Diaz-Balart,Eliot Engel,Bill Flores,Luis Fortuño,Pete Gallego,Bob Goodlatte,Tom Graves,Jane Harman,Peter Hoekstra,Steve Israel,Ric Keller,Peter King,Frank LoBiondo,Connie Mack,Kenny Marchant,Kendrick Meek,Jeff Miller,Susan Molinari,Connie Morella,Solomon Ortiz,Bill Paxon,Judge Ted Poe,Adam Putnam,Dave Reichert,Silvestre Reyes,Peter Roskam,Dennis Ross,Steven Rothman,Loretta Sanchez,Bill Shuster,Lamar Smith,Steve Stivers,Pat Tiberi,Dave Trott,Henry A. Waxman,Ted Yoho,Richard Holbrooke,Jack Kemp,Jeane Kirkpatrick,Irving Kristol    
 
}}''Not to be confused with the [[Middle East Institute]]''
 
}}''Not to be confused with the [[Middle East Institute]]''
The '''Middle East Media Research Institute''' is an Israeli propaganda outfit based in the United States.
+
The '''Middle East Media Research Institute''' is an Israeli propaganda outfit based in the United States.  
 +
 
 +
Former head of the [[CIA]]'s counterintelligence unit, [[Vincent Cannistraro]], said that MEMRI "are selective and act as propagandists for their political point of view, which is the extreme-right of [[Likud]]. They simply don't present the whole picture."<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20011206222409/http://www.forward.com/issues/2001/01.12.07/news7.html</ref>
  
 
==Origins ==
 
==Origins ==
 
 
The organisation was founded in 1998 by [[Meyrav Wurmser]] and Colonel [[Yigal Carmon]], formerly of Israeli military intelligence. Both are right-wing [[zionist]]s and opposers of the Oslo peace accords. Wurmser's position has been replaced by Steven Stalinsky following her departure in 2002. Oliver Revell also contributes to the board of directors.  
 
The organisation was founded in 1998 by [[Meyrav Wurmser]] and Colonel [[Yigal Carmon]], formerly of Israeli military intelligence. Both are right-wing [[zionist]]s and opposers of the Oslo peace accords. Wurmser's position has been replaced by Steven Stalinsky following her departure in 2002. Oliver Revell also contributes to the board of directors.  
  
 
According to Jim Lobe, MEMRI specializes in translating and distributing 'particularly virulent anti-U.S. and anti-Israel articles appearing in the Arab press to key U.S. media and policymakers' <ref> [http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1394 Profile of Meyrav Wurmser] Right Web , cited 19 April 2006</ref>.
 
According to Jim Lobe, MEMRI specializes in translating and distributing 'particularly virulent anti-U.S. and anti-Israel articles appearing in the Arab press to key U.S. media and policymakers' <ref> [http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1394 Profile of Meyrav Wurmser] Right Web , cited 19 April 2006</ref>.
 +
 +
==Working methods==
 +
Critics describe MEMRI as a strongly pro-[[Israel]] advocacy group that, in spite of describing itself as being "independent" and "non-partisan" in nature,<ref name="selectmemri">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/aug/12/worlddispatch.brianwhitaker</ref>Fathi, Schirin (2010). ''Memri.org – A Tool of Enlightenment or Incitement?''. In Graf, Arndt; Fathi, Schirin; Paul, Ludwig (eds.). ''Orientalism and Conspiracy: Politics and Conspiracy Theory in the Islamic World''. I.B.Tauris. page 202: "But what about using MEMRI, what about the various accusations? There is no monolithic answer. As a translation service it is of great value. As a research tool the evaluation is more complex as it demands good background information in order to contextualize the information obtained, due to the organization's lack of transparency and attempt to pose as something different than what they are. The problem is that many of the journalists, politicians and lay persons who use MEMRI cannot and will not do this. And this is where the main objection to MEMRI comes into play. It presents itself as an independent research institute, but it acts as a tool geared toward shaping opinion by "producing an orient"—in the true sense of Edward Said's usage—and through this it has an increasing influence in shaping perceptions of the Middle East. MEMRI has understood that politics today is waged in the media and it fulfills its role as a public relations, lobbying and policy-making instrument with the highest professional standard."</ref> aims to portray the [[Arab world]] and the [[Muslim world]] in a negative light by producing and disseminating incomplete or inaccurate translations of the original versions of the media reports that it re-publishes.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/may/15/arabicunderfire</ref><ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep31106.5.pdf quote="The group has an established reputation for distributing highly selective, distorted, and inaccurate translations of Arabic and Persian media"</ref> It has also been accused of selectively focusing on the views of [[Islamic extremism|Islamic extremists]] while de-emphasizing or ignoring mainstream opinions.<ref>Fathi, Schirin (2010). ''Memri.org – A Tool of Enlightenment or Incitement?'' https://doi.org/10.5040%2F9780755610969 page 188-190</ref>
  
 
Having begun as one office in Washington, MEMRI has now expanded with branches in [[Berlin]], [[London]], [[Tokyo]] and [[Jerusalem]].
 
Having begun as one office in Washington, MEMRI has now expanded with branches in [[Berlin]], [[London]], [[Tokyo]] and [[Jerusalem]].
  
 
== Funding ==
 
== Funding ==
Although MEMRI claim to have funds under $2 million, Professor [[Juan Cole]] insists that the organisation recieves in the region of $60 million per annum for its operations. *<ref>[http://www.antiwar.com/cole/?articleid=4047], cited 20th April 2006</ref>
+
Although MEMRI in 2006 claimed to have funds under $2 million, Professor [[Juan Cole]] insists that the organisation recieves in the region of $60 million per annum for its operations. *<ref>[http://www.antiwar.com/cole/?articleid=4047], cited 20th April 2006</ref>
  
 
it has been reported that many of the funds recieved by MEMRI are either not accounted for or only the American profits are disclosed. MEMRI is of course a multinational organisation with office across the world. It is these offices which Juan Cole maintains the estimate of $60 million is acculmulated. <ref>[http://www.juancole.com/2004/11/memri-funding-i-have-received-several.html], cited 21st April 2006</ref>
 
it has been reported that many of the funds recieved by MEMRI are either not accounted for or only the American profits are disclosed. MEMRI is of course a multinational organisation with office across the world. It is these offices which Juan Cole maintains the estimate of $60 million is acculmulated. <ref>[http://www.juancole.com/2004/11/memri-funding-i-have-received-several.html], cited 21st April 2006</ref>
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MEMRI maintains that all of it's funding comes directly from around 250 private donations and that it does not receive any government funding. [[Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation]], a right wing organisation, donated $100,000 between '92 and 2000. [[Ronald & Mary Ann Lachman Foundation]] is another of the private donors.
 
MEMRI maintains that all of it's funding comes directly from around 250 private donations and that it does not receive any government funding. [[Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation]], a right wing organisation, donated $100,000 between '92 and 2000. [[Ronald & Mary Ann Lachman Foundation]] is another of the private donors.
  
==Controversy==
+
MEMRI recognized US$6,292,683 of revenue and incurred US$6,247,476 of expenses during the twelve months ended June 30, 2018.<ref>https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/522068483_201806_990_2019081616576820.pdf</ref>
MEMRI has faced numerous allegations of bias and unprofesionalism with regard to its presentation of the Middle East news. Critcs of the organisation have said that MEMRI is selective inthe content it translates and that in doing so, it portrays an anti-Arab view.  
 
  
MEMRI has altered it's homepage on the internet following the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001. Prior to the attacks, the 'About us' section had clearly stated the following quote as part of their mission statement: 'In its research, the institute puts emphasis on the continuing relevance of Zionism to the Jewish people and to the state of Israel.'
+
==Criticism==
 +
MEMRI has faced numerous allegations of bias and unprofesionalism with regard to its presentation of the Middle East news. Critcs of the organisation have said that MEMRI is selective in the content it translates and that in doing so, it portrays an anti-Arab view.  
  
Furthermore, the profiles of MEMRI staff were also deleted along with any information of funding.
+
MEMRI has altered it's homepage on the internet following the terrorist attacks on [[September 11 2001]]. Prior to the attacks, the 'About us' section had clearly stated the following quote as part of their mission statement: 'In its research, the institute puts emphasis on the continuing relevance of Zionism to the Jewish people and to the state of Israel.' Furthermore, the profiles of MEMRI staff were also deleted along with any information of funding.
  
 
The following is a list of critics and their personal views on MEMRI:
 
The following is a list of critics and their personal views on MEMRI:
  
[[Dr. Juan Cole]]: accused the organisation of slectivity in their translation process in that they "cherry-pick" the press for particularly extreme cases rather than providing an overview. *{{ref|antiwar}}[http://www.antiwar.com/cole/?articleid=3898], cited 23rd April 2006.
+
[[Dr. Juan Cole]]: accused the organisation of selectivity in their translation process in that they "cherry-pick" the press for particularly extreme cases rather than providing an overview. *{{ref|antiwar}}[http://www.antiwar.com/cole/?articleid=3898], cited 23rd April 2006.
  
 
[[Brian Whitaker]]: Maintains that MEMRI articles follow a distinct pattern of 'reflecting badly on the character of Arabs or they in some way further the political agenda of Israel.' *{{ref|guardian}}[http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,773258,00.html#article_continue], cited 23rd April 2006.
 
[[Brian Whitaker]]: Maintains that MEMRI articles follow a distinct pattern of 'reflecting badly on the character of Arabs or they in some way further the political agenda of Israel.' *{{ref|guardian}}[http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,773258,00.html#article_continue], cited 23rd April 2006.
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[[William Rugh]]: states that MEMRI portrays Arabs as hating Jews and refusing any peaceful settlement of Palestine issues.
 
[[William Rugh]]: states that MEMRI portrays Arabs as hating Jews and refusing any peaceful settlement of Palestine issues.
 +
 +
Former head of the [[CIA]]'s counterintelligence unit, [[Vincent Cannistraro]], said that MEMRI "are selective and act as propagandists for their political point of view, which is the extreme-right of [[Likud]]. They simply don't present the whole picture."<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20011206222409/http://www.forward.com/issues/2001/01.12.07/news7.html</ref>
  
 
===MEMRI's Response===
 
===MEMRI's Response===
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Initially there were only six members of staff working for MEMRI, however as a result of expansion, that number is now in the region of 30-40.  
 
Initially there were only six members of staff working for MEMRI, however as a result of expansion, that number is now in the region of 30-40.  
  
NB: several of MEMRI's agents change names — while wearing a MEMRI hat some have a German or English name, but later reappear with their Israeli names elsewhere.<ref> [http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1394 Profile of Meyrav Wurmser] Right Web , cited 19 April 2006</ref>
+
Several of MEMRI's agents change names — while wearing a MEMRI hat some have a German or English name, but later reappear with their Israeli names elsewhere.<ref> [http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1394 Profile of Meyrav Wurmser] Right Web , cited 19 April 2006</ref>
  
 
===Resources===
 
===Resources===

Latest revision as of 05:20, 6 November 2024

Group.png Middle East Media Research Institute  
(PropagandistPowerbase Sourcewatch WebsiteRdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Middle East Media Research Institute.gif
AbbreviationMEMRI
Formation1998
Founder• Meyrav Wurmser.jpg Meyrav Wurmser
•  Yigal Carmon
Type 501(c)(3) non-profit
SloganBridging the language gap between the Middle East and the West
Sponsored byLynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
Membership•  Bernard Lewis
• James Woolsey.jpg James Woolsey
• Elie Wiesel 2012.jpg Elie Wiesel
• José María Aznar.jpg Jose Maria Aznar
•  Stephen J. Trachtenberg
• John R. Bolton.jpg John Bolton
• Stuart Eizenstat.jpg Stuart Eizenstat
• Josef Joffe.jpg Josef Joffe
• John Ashcroft.jpg John Ashcroft
• Ehud Barak 2016 - Herzliya Conference.jpg Ehud Barak
• Irwin Cotler (2017).jpg Irwin Cotler
• Mortimer Zuckerman, January 2013-1.jpg Mortimer Zuckerman
• Michael Mukasey.jpg Michael Mukasey
•  Lafif Lakhdar
•  Jana Hybaskova
•  Norman Podhoretz
• William J. Bennett.jpg William Bennett
• Paul Bremer.jpg Paul Bremer
• Lord Weidenfeld appearing on After Dark 2 March 1991.jpg Lord George Weidenfeld
•  Yehuda Bauer
•  Khaled Fouad Allam
•  Alfred Moses
•  Herb London
• Natan Sharansky.jpg Natan Sharansky
• 6998138035 dbd6dc5312 o.jpg James Q. Wilson
• Edgar M Bronfman 1989.jpg Edgar Bronfman
• Max Kampelman - Reykjavik play staged reading and panel discussion CTBTO.jpg Max Kampelman
•  Yohanan Friedmann
•  Ikbal Al-Gharbi
•  Christopher DeMuth
•  Shaker Al-Nabulsi
•  Magdi Khalil
•  Faraj Sarkouhi
•  Deborah Lipstadt
•  Amel Grami
•  Michael V. Hayden
• General Keith B. Alexander in service uniform.jpg Keith Alexander
•  Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.
•  Guy Cosentino
•  Heino Klinck
•  Imam Hassen Chalghoumi
•  Adrienne S. O'Neal
•  Katrina Lantos Swett
•  Dorothy Denning
•  Douglas J. Feith
• Admiral John Poindexter, official Navy photo, 1985.JPEG John Poindexter
•  Chin Ho Lee
•  M.K. Narayanan
• Anne Speckhard.jpg Anne Speckhard
• Rohan Gunaratna.jpg Rohan Gunaratna
•  Amb. Husain Haqqani
•  Patrick Desbois
• Alan Dershowitz.jpg Alan Dershowitz
•  Elham Manea
• Louise Ellman.jpg Louise Ellman
•  Daniel Lacalle
•  Deepinder Singh
•  Mort Zuckerman
• Jeffrey Gedmin.jpg Jeffrey Gedmin
•  Anthony Julius
•  Steve Stalinsky
•  Menahem Milson
• Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Congressional Portrait.jpg Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
•  Newt Gingrich
•  Jason Altmire
•  Michael Andrews
•  Joe Barton
•  Mike Bishop
•  Henry Bonilla
•  Mary Bono
•  Ben Chandler
•  Mike Conaway
•  Jerry Costello
•  Ander Crenshaw
•  Carlos Curbelo
•  Lincoln Davis
•  Jeff Denham
• Lincoln Diaz-Balart.jpg Lincoln Diaz-Balart
•  Eliot Engel
•  Bill Flores
•  Luis Fortuño
•  Pete Gallego
•  Bob Goodlatte
•  Tom Graves
• Jane Harman MSC 2017.jpg Jane Harman
• Peter Hoekstra.jpg Peter Hoekstra
•  Steve Israel
•  Ric Keller
•  Peter King
•  Frank LoBiondo
•  Connie Mack
•  Kenny Marchant
•  Kendrick Meek
•  Jeff Miller
•  Susan Molinari
•  Connie Morella
•  Solomon Ortiz
•  Bill Paxon
•  Judge Ted Poe
•  Adam Putnam
•  Dave Reichert
•  Silvestre Reyes
•  Peter Roskam
• Dennis Ross.jpg Dennis Ross
•  Steven Rothman
•  Loretta Sanchez
•  Bill Shuster
• Lamar S. Smith, official Congressional photo portrait.jpg Lamar Smith
•  Steve Stivers
•  Pat Tiberi
•  Dave Trott
•  Henry A. Waxman
•  Ted Yoho
• Richard Holbrooke.jpg Richard Holbrooke
• 440px-Jack Kemp official portrait.jpg Jack Kemp
• Od jeane-kirkpatrick-official-portrait 1-255x301.jpg Jeane Kirkpatrick
• Irving Kristol.jpg Irving Kristol

Not to be confused with the Middle East Institute

The Middle East Media Research Institute is an Israeli propaganda outfit based in the United States.

Former head of the CIA's counterintelligence unit, Vincent Cannistraro, said that MEMRI "are selective and act as propagandists for their political point of view, which is the extreme-right of Likud. They simply don't present the whole picture."[1]

Origins

The organisation was founded in 1998 by Meyrav Wurmser and Colonel Yigal Carmon, formerly of Israeli military intelligence. Both are right-wing zionists and opposers of the Oslo peace accords. Wurmser's position has been replaced by Steven Stalinsky following her departure in 2002. Oliver Revell also contributes to the board of directors.

According to Jim Lobe, MEMRI specializes in translating and distributing 'particularly virulent anti-U.S. and anti-Israel articles appearing in the Arab press to key U.S. media and policymakers' [2].

Working methods

Critics describe MEMRI as a strongly pro-Israel advocacy group that, in spite of describing itself as being "independent" and "non-partisan" in nature,[3]Fathi, Schirin (2010). Memri.org – A Tool of Enlightenment or Incitement?. In Graf, Arndt; Fathi, Schirin; Paul, Ludwig (eds.). Orientalism and Conspiracy: Politics and Conspiracy Theory in the Islamic World. I.B.Tauris. page 202: "But what about using MEMRI, what about the various accusations? There is no monolithic answer. As a translation service it is of great value. As a research tool the evaluation is more complex as it demands good background information in order to contextualize the information obtained, due to the organization's lack of transparency and attempt to pose as something different than what they are. The problem is that many of the journalists, politicians and lay persons who use MEMRI cannot and will not do this. And this is where the main objection to MEMRI comes into play. It presents itself as an independent research institute, but it acts as a tool geared toward shaping opinion by "producing an orient"—in the true sense of Edward Said's usage—and through this it has an increasing influence in shaping perceptions of the Middle East. MEMRI has understood that politics today is waged in the media and it fulfills its role as a public relations, lobbying and policy-making instrument with the highest professional standard."</ref> aims to portray the Arab world and the Muslim world in a negative light by producing and disseminating incomplete or inaccurate translations of the original versions of the media reports that it re-publishes.[4][5] It has also been accused of selectively focusing on the views of Islamic extremists while de-emphasizing or ignoring mainstream opinions.[6]

Having begun as one office in Washington, MEMRI has now expanded with branches in Berlin, London, Tokyo and Jerusalem.

Funding

Although MEMRI in 2006 claimed to have funds under $2 million, Professor Juan Cole insists that the organisation recieves in the region of $60 million per annum for its operations. *[7]

it has been reported that many of the funds recieved by MEMRI are either not accounted for or only the American profits are disclosed. MEMRI is of course a multinational organisation with office across the world. It is these offices which Juan Cole maintains the estimate of $60 million is acculmulated. [8]

MEMRI maintains that all of it's funding comes directly from around 250 private donations and that it does not receive any government funding. Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation, a right wing organisation, donated $100,000 between '92 and 2000. Ronald & Mary Ann Lachman Foundation is another of the private donors.

MEMRI recognized US$6,292,683 of revenue and incurred US$6,247,476 of expenses during the twelve months ended June 30, 2018.[9]

Criticism

MEMRI has faced numerous allegations of bias and unprofesionalism with regard to its presentation of the Middle East news. Critcs of the organisation have said that MEMRI is selective in the content it translates and that in doing so, it portrays an anti-Arab view.

MEMRI has altered it's homepage on the internet following the terrorist attacks on September 11 2001. Prior to the attacks, the 'About us' section had clearly stated the following quote as part of their mission statement: 'In its research, the institute puts emphasis on the continuing relevance of Zionism to the Jewish people and to the state of Israel.' Furthermore, the profiles of MEMRI staff were also deleted along with any information of funding.

The following is a list of critics and their personal views on MEMRI:

Dr. Juan Cole: accused the organisation of selectivity in their translation process in that they "cherry-pick" the press for particularly extreme cases rather than providing an overview. *[3][4], cited 23rd April 2006.

Brian Whitaker: Maintains that MEMRI articles follow a distinct pattern of 'reflecting badly on the character of Arabs or they in some way further the political agenda of Israel.' *[5][6], cited 23rd April 2006.

Ibrahim Hooper: In an interview with the Washington Post claimed; 'Memri's intent is to find the worst possible quotes from the Muslim world and disseminate them as widely as possible.' *[7][8], cited 23rd April 2006.

Marc Lynch: also in agreament that MEMRI offers a biased source of Middle East publications and says that MEMRI 'routinely selects articles which show the worst of Arab discource.'

William Rugh: states that MEMRI portrays Arabs as hating Jews and refusing any peaceful settlement of Palestine issues.

Former head of the CIA's counterintelligence unit, Vincent Cannistraro, said that MEMRI "are selective and act as propagandists for their political point of view, which is the extreme-right of Likud. They simply don't present the whole picture."[10]

MEMRI's Response

In light of the article 'Osama Threatening Red States?' by Juan Cole,*[9][10] MEMRI's co-founder, Yigal Carmon, wrote a response to Dr. Cole. the email can be accessed through this link *[11][12] and it clearly identifies some threat of legal action aginst Dr. Cole on accounts of libel and slander. MEMRI claim to be offering translations of current affairs and topical issues on the Middle Easter and international agendas form a non-partisan, non-profit view point. However, MEMRI fail to provide any contact details through their website which would allow the general public to assess the situation for themselves.

Some users of MEMRI materials

"On the other hand, few challenge the accuracy of Memri's translations: unpalatable though they are, the texts Memri finds are all too real."[13]
"The role that MEMRI is playing in bringing the voices of the Arab and Muslim Reform – from Arabic into English, to the world – has been absolutely invaluable for everyone who cares about this process and wants to follow it."
- Thomas Friedman, May 6, 2003 [14]
  • Kevin Myers – writes for the Irish Times and The Telegraph. He writes:
"I receive an invaluable service from the Middle East Media Research Institute, which translates material from the region. What is impossible to appreciate without such translations is the sheer scale of genocidal anti-Semitism which infuses Palestinian Authority propaganda.[15]
"In the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the ultraextreme sect of Wahhabism is the state religion, various sermons and other declamations were heard, alleging that Allah punished the Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and non-Wahhabi Muslims of the South Asian countries for their failure to accept Islam, above all in its Saudi form (as recorded and translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute).[16]
"Numerous articles and commentary in the Saudi press are openly anti-Jewish, offensive, and discriminatory: the "Zionist movement" is labeled as evil; blood libel accusations are made; hatred toward Jews is encouraged; Jews are said to be trying to take over the world; and the existence of the Holocaust is denied.[60]
[60]See multiple translated articles with anti-Semitic and discriminatory language from the Saudi press at the Middle East Media Research Institute ( MEMRI ) Web site: [followed by four links]
  • Elie Wiesel – Professional Holocaust survivor (as Uri Avnery refers to him), member of the Irgun Zvei Leumi [17], and professional moralist.
"I hope you receive MEMRI's publications. I do. I find its material – translations and analyses of poisonous articles, hate-filled statements and slanderous accusations – vitally needed for the fight against antisemitism in the Arab world. Policy makers, legislators, teachers, and news commentators greatly benefit from its efforts to use truth in the service of peace."
- Elie Wiesel, May 22, 2003[18]
"… the excellent Middle East Media Research Institute"
-Former CIA director James Woolsey, June 10, 2002 [19]

People

Board of Advisors 2006[11] and 2024, plus Congressional Board of Advisors and Board of Directors 2024.[12] The website is set up so it can't be archived properly.

Initially there were only six members of staff working for MEMRI, however as a result of expansion, that number is now in the region of 30-40.

Several of MEMRI's agents change names — while wearing a MEMRI hat some have a German or English name, but later reappear with their Israeli names elsewhere.[13]

Resources

 

Known members

38 of the 113 of the members already have pages here:

MemberDescription
Keith B. AlexanderChief of the NSA, now infamous for his mendacious denials regarding the illegal mass surveillance of US citizens.
John AshcroftUS Attorney General on 9/11
José María AznarPrime Minister of Spain 1996-2004, "If Israel goes down, we all go down", various deep state connections
Ehud BarakIsraeli spook who was Prime Minister of Israel from May 1999 to March 2001. Pal of Jeffrey Epstein.
John BoltonNeocon US deep state operative who was Trump's National Security Advisor until September 2019
Paul BremerExecutive of Marsh & McLennan, a company whose offices were hit by a plane on 9/11, "Coordinator for Counterterrorism", Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority of Iraq ...
Edgar BronfmanUS businessman President of the World Jewish Congress 1979-2997
Irwin CotlerCanada's Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada 2003-2006. "Totally unabashed defender and supporter of Israel". Member of numerous spooky think-tanks.
Christopher DeMuthPresident of the American Enterprise Institute.
Alan DershowitzA supporter of torture and legal defender of Jeffrey Epstein
Lincoln Díaz-BalartPlays a prominent role in the Cuban-American lobby. Son of Rafael Díaz-Balart.
Stuart EizenstatUS lawyer/diplomat and possible deep state operative
Douglas FeithUndersecretary of Defense for Policy at the US pentagon on 9-11
Jeffrey GedminUS spooky/hawkish neoconservative academic
Rohan Gunaratna
Jane HarmanRanking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and caught her coordinating with an Israeli agent.
Michael HaydenUS Spook, NSA Director 1999-2005, CIA Director 2006-2009, News Guard advisory board
Peter Hoekstra
Josef JoffePublisher-editor of Die Zeit
Max KampelmanNeocon US arms negotiator with decades-long support for hardline "pro-Israel" advocacy groups
Bernard LewisSpooky academic who attended the 1979 and 2002 Bilderbergs, as well as the Washington Conference on International Terrorism.
Michael MukaseyA lawyer and former judge who was Attorney General of the US from 2007 to 2009. He was judge in the Larry Silverstein -v- Insurance companies post 9-11 litigation.
Norman PodhoretzOne of the founding fathers of the neoconservative movement
John PoindexterUS deep state operative involved in Iran Contra
Ileana Ros-LehtinenExile-Cuban US politician
Dennis RossUS diplomat, author, US Director of Policy Planning under GHWB
Natan SharanskyFormer dissident of the Soviet Union, neocon, Bilderberg, Le Cercle
Lamar SmithConservative Republican Congressman
Anne Speckhard
Elie Wiesel"Chief Witness to The Holocaust"
James Q. WilsonProvided guidance on how best to coordinate the national "war on drugs".
James WoolseyEx CIA director still (per 2020) very active in deep state networks.
Mortimer ZuckermanCanadian billionaire media magnate

 

Event
Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation

 

A document sourced from Middle East Media Research Institute

TitleTypeSubject(s)Publication dateAuthor(s)
Document:Iran - This Is How We'll Close The Strait of HormuzwebpageStrait of Hormuz28 December 2011MEMRI editorial staff
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References