High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) is a think tank based in Washington, D.C. focused on United States foreign policy in the Middle East. It was established by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in 1985. The institute`s mission statement states that it seeks "to advance a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East." The group is often described as being pro-Israel.