EI was founded in February 2001 by Ali Abunimah, an American citizen of Palestinian descent; Arjan El Fassed, human rights activist based in the Netherlands; Laurie King, an anthropologist and former coordinator of the International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila and the managing editor of the "Journal of Palestine Studies" in Washington; and Nigel Parry, currently an eclectic Internet consultant, writer and musician based in Pittsburgh.