Saban Center for Middle East Policy

The Saban Center for Middle East Policy is a research organization established at the Brookings Institution in 2002 through the donation of $13 million by the Israeli media-mogul, Haim Saban. Its current director is Kenneth M. Pollack. Pollack took over from veteran pro-Israel lobbyist, Martin Indyk, who founded the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, an AIPAC think-tank.

History

After founder Haim Saban closed a profitable multi-million dollar business deal he reportedly contacted Martin Indyk to discuss how he could set up his own think-tank:

When they met in New York about a week later, Indyk recalled, “Haim said, ‘I’ve made all this money; I’m giving ten million to the D.N.C., and I want to set up a think tank. I think we really have to resolve the Arab-Israel conflict. These terrorists give me a potch in the panim, but I still think it’s important for Israel’s future to achieve peace.’ ” Indyk advised him to make a donation to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, but Saban said, “ ‘You don’t understand. I want my own.’ ”

At this time Indyk was working at WINEP but joined the Saban's think-tank shortly after Saban made an initial contribution of 13 million dollars for its establishment.

Explaining his rationale behind the center, Saban told the New York Times:

"I've heard from leaders on both sides of the aisle in the United States and leaders in Europe about what Sharon shouldn't do, I haven't heard one educated suggestion about what he should do."

People

Principals

• Kenneth Pollack - Director (2009-present)
• Martin Indyk - Senior Fellow, former director (2002-09)
• Haim Saban - Founder

"Experts"

• Hady Amr - Director, Brookings Doha Center
• Anouar Boukhars - Visiting Fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings Doha Center, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• [[Daniel L. Byman - Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Khaled Elgindy - Visiting Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Stephen R. Grand - Director, U.S. Relations with the Islamic World
• Shadi Hamid - Director of Research, Brookings Doha Center
• Kristin M. Lord - Nonresident Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, U.S. Relations with the Islamic World
• Mirette F. Mabrouk - Nonresident Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Suzanne Maloney - Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Kenneth M. Pollack - Director, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Bruce Riedel - Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Cynthia P. Schneider - Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Salman Shaikh - Nonresident Fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings Doha Center, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Shibley Telhami - Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
• Vaughan Turekian - Nonresident Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, U.S. Relations with the Islamic World
• Mohammad Waseem - Ford Foundation Visiting Fellow