The use or misuse of information was always central to the conflict in the Middle East. There is an urgent need for supporters of the Palestinian cause in particular to master the art of information gathering, analysis and dissemination. This requires well organized, focused and targeted operations. Such initiatives are virtually non-existent in the West today.

The Middle East Monitor (MEMO) was established to fill this gap. While there are several outstanding media monitoring networks operating mainly through the internet their main activity is invariably confined to exposing the flaws in existing coverage.

MEMO seeks to go one step further; to reach out to opinion makers and decision makers in a deliberate, organized and sustained manner.

Mission Statement

We aim to:

• Provide our clients with up-to-date reporting and carefully reasoned commentaries rooted in factual evidence.
• Combine journalistic and scholarly debate from exciting and engaging professionals operating at the cutting edge of their field.
• Become an essential point of reference for journalists, researchers, human rights organisations and NGOs as well as policy and decision-makers across the political spectrum.
• Facilitate a better understanding and appreciation of the Palestine issue and make a significant contribution to a change of media coverage and official policy on the subject.

MEMO will compliment the work of existing operations and fill the gaps they have left open. We will not duplicate or reinvent the commendable work carried out by any of them. We endeavor to collaborate where possible, particularly in areas of information gathering and sharing.

Our Strengths:

• MEMO would provide a focused and comprehensive coverage of Palestine.
• We intend to bring the Islamic perspective to the discourse, something which none has undertaken in the West.
• MEMO has identified three key areas of focus for its public relations strategy; they are media, political and community engagement.
• Our unique selling points are to provide:
  1. Reliable primary sources of information
  2. Experienced and approachable specialists
  3. In-person meetings with actors on the ground
• MEMO will train and develop specialists to speak on its behalf in the media and at public meetings and conferences.
• We recognize that official policy is often informed and defined by the nature of media coverage. As such, we intend to interface with the main political players, decision-makers and stakeholders.
• Unlike the existing initiatives we seek to actively develop strong and trusted working relations with editors, politicians, lobbies, think tanks and government institutions.
• With our vast experience and contacts we would facilitate field visits and meetings with Palestinian leaders and key figures in the Occupied Territories, refugee camps and other locations.

Our Team

Director
Dr. Daud Abdullah
Email: daud@memonitor.org.uk

Senior Editor
Ibrahim Hewitt
Email: ibrahim@memonitor.org.uk

Press Officer
Dr. Hanan Chehata
Email: hanan.chehata@hotmail.co.uk

Analyst
Samira Quraishy
Email: samira@memonitor.org.uk

Editor/Researcher
Zulaikha Abdullah
Email: zulaikha@memonitor.org.uk

Parliamentary Officer
Shazia Arshad
Email: shazia@memonitor.org.uk

Web Manager
Khalid Saifullah
Email: khalid@memonitor.org.uk

MEMO Photographer (Gaza)
Mohammed Asad Muhaisin

MEMO Photographer (West Bank)
Ibtehal Mansour

Honorary Advisers to the Middle East Monitor

Dr Salman Abu Sita, Palestinian author and member of the Palestinian National Council,

Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham, member of The House of Lords,

Baroness Jennifer Tonge of Kew, member of The House of Lords,

Dr Maria Holt, Lecturer of Democracy and Islam in the Centre for the Study of Democracy in the University of Westminster,

Oliver McTernan, Co-Founder and Director of the Forward Thinking organisation,

Professor Tariq Ramadan, Professor at Oxford University,