Saban Center for Middle East Policy

Saban Center for Middle East Policy is a research organization established at the Brookings Institution in 2002 through the donation of nearly $13 million by the Israeli media-mogul Haim Saban. Its current director is the veteran pro-Israel lobbyist Martin Indyk, who had earlier founded the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, an AIPAC spinoff, to counter the Brooking Institution which was seen as not pro-Israel enough.

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," he said. "I've haven't heard one educated suggestion about what he should do."