ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvən, bɜːnˈɑːɹd lˈuːɪs ænd fwˈɑːd ædʒˈɑːmi stˈɑːɹɾᵻd ɐsˌoʊsɪˈeɪʃən fɚðə stˈʌdi ʌvðə mˈɪdəl ˈiːst ænd ˈæfɹɪkə ɐsmˈiə æz ɐ ɹˈaɪvəl tə mˈeɪsə, æz ðeɪ sˈɔː mˈeɪsə æz "dˈɑːmᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd baɪ ˌækədˈɛmɪks hˌuː hɐvbɪn kɹˈɪɾɪkəl ʌv ˈɪzɹiːəl ænd ʌv ɐmˈɛɹɪkəz ɹˈoʊl ɪnðə mˈɪdəl ˈiːst.
In 2007, Bernard Lewis  and Fouad Ajami started  Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) as a rival to MESA, as they saw MESA as "dominated by academics who have been critical of Israel and of America's role in the Middle East.