Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy

The Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy (IMED), is a 'think-tank and pressure group advocating liberty and democracy in the Middle East'Sam Westrop profile, LinkedIn, accessed 16 July 2012. 
It was formed, according to its own website, in response to 'the visceral rhetoric that dominates the discussion of the Middle East in this country [UK].'About Us, IMED, accessed 16 July 2012
==History==
IMED was founded in 2009 by director Sam Westrop and others. Westrop has claimed that 500 students across the country are involved in IMED work.Only 22, but Sam leads fight against the Israel bashers, Jewish Telegraph, accessed 16 July 2012. 
==Activities==
According to its own website, IMED 'works to promote liberal democracy in the Middle East', to 'provide a platform for the rational discussion of the Arab-Israeli conflict', 'to advocate freedom, justice and equality' and to 'bring to light the horrors of despotism, hatred and ideology in the region and to combat religious or political supremacism and hate speech'.About Us, IMED, accessed 16 July 2012
The group has 'highlighted AQA's A-level geography textbook which compared the Israeli security barrier to the Berlin Wall' and 'exposed through Sky News, the Independent and the Guardian, how St Andrews University was being funded by the Syrian government and Exeter University by the Muslim Brotherhood'.Only 22, but Sam leads fight against the Israel bashers, Jewish Telegraph, accessed 16 July 2012
===Opposing 'extremists', garnering far-right support===
In June 2012 IMED and Stand for Peace - another group founded by Sam Westrop - were among the groups involved in pressuring the Grand Connaught Rooms in London to cancel a Ramadan conference organised by the Al-Muntada Trust since they claimed it featured 'extremist' speakers. Stand for Peace director Hasan Afzal claimed victory when the conference was cancelled but he also acknowledged that far-right groups had joined the campaignGrand Connaught Rooms Jihadist Conference Event Cancelled, Harry's Place, accessed 16 July 2012.
The English Defence League, Casuals UnitedHarry's Place inspires racists thugs to threaten Muslim conference, Islamophobia Watch, accessed 16 July 2012 and British National Party all lent their support to the campaign, the latter republishing a Stand for Peace briefing approvinglyBNP repost Stand for Peace Screenshot, accessed 16 July 2012. It is not clear whether the venue's safety concerns which prompted it to cancel the conference on the advice of the police were connected to the scheduled speakers or in fact to the possibility of opposition from these far-right groups.
===Alleged infiltration and attacks on the PSC===
Director Sam Westrop has stated that there are 'people inside the Palestine Solidarity Campaign' passing information to the institute.Only 22, but Sam leads fight against the Israel bashers, Jewish Telegraph, accessed 16 July 2012
In November 2011 Westrop produced a report entitled 'An Evening with the PSC: Examining Racism, Extremism and Homophobia within the Palestine Solidarity Campaign'.An Evening with the PSC: Examining Racism, Extremism and Homophobia within the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy, accessed 16 July 2012
===British Muslims for Israel===
Westrop and Hasan Afzal co-founded British Muslims for Israel from within IMED.Uncommon Courage, The Atheist Conservative, accessed 16 July 2012
===Defending Israel on the BBC during Operation 'Pillar of Cloud'===
Jonathan Sacerdoti, director of InstMed, appeared on BBC news programmes four times in two days between 14-15 November 2012 and was described as being from the Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy giving the impression that he was a neutral expert on the region. Each time he defended Israel's attacks on Gaza and each time no alternative perspective was given by the BBC.Who is Jonathan Sacerdoti, the BBC’s Go-To Man on Gaza?, New Left Project, 16 November 2012, accessed 17 November 2012
===Publishing Denis MacEoin===
In December 2012, a book called 'Dear Gary, why you're wrong about Israel: letter to an anti-Israel activist', by Denis MacEoin was produced with IMED listed as the publisher.Dear Gary, Why You're Wrong About Israel, Amazon UK, accessed 22 March 2013.
A launch event for the book was held on 20 March 2013 in the House of Lords, 'by kind invitation of Baroness Deech'.Dear Gary, Why You're Wrong about Israel, Eventbrite, accessed 22 March 2013.
==Affiliations==
*Stand for Peace
*British Muslims for Israel
==People==
*Jonathan Sacerdoti - director (formerly of the Zionist Federation)
*Sam Westrop - director (also founder of British Israel Coalition)
*Dan Coen - Associate Director and head of Stop the Bomb project
*Hasan Afzal - Associate Director
*Tom Wilson - Research Director and head of Transatlantic Affairs Project
*Saba Farzan - Senior Fellow on Women’s Rights
*Jacob Campbell - Research FellowAbout Us, IMED, accessed 16 July 2012
===Advisory board===
*Jillian Becker Project Gutenberg Jillian Becker, 	World Heritage Encyclopedia. Accessed 4 March 2018.
*Shiraz Maher (circa September 2011) Ties that Bind: How the story of Britain's Muslim soldiers can forge a national identity, Policy Exchange and the Pears Foundation, 5 September 2011, accessed 4 March 2018
==Funding==
The institute does not reveal its key funders but states that it receives no money from any government and relies on individual donations.Donate, IMED, accessed 16 July 2012
==Publications==
*Mis-educating Our Children: Is AQA’s Account of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Misleading and Biased?, Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy, May 2010.
*An Evening with the PSC: Examining Racism, Extremism and Homophobia within the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy, November 2011.
*Soft Islamism in the University of Birmingham - BRIEFING PAPER, Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy, November 2011.
==Contact==
*On 17 November 2012 there was no office address listed on the Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy's website.
*Website: http://instmed.org
==Resources==
*Who is Jonathan Sacerdoti, the BBC’s Go-To Man on Gaza?, New Left Project, 16 November 2012
==Notes==
Category:Israel Lobby