Alison Weir, American activist and journalist, photographed in San Francisco Bay (California) on June 9 Ian Tuttle
Alison Weir (74 years old) was born at the West Point Military Academy in New York.
His father was part of the air force, he was part of the peace corps in Afghanistan.
His own calling, however, he discovered a little over 20 years ago, while editing
Marinscope.
, a tiny community newspaper in the small town of Sausalito, California. His daughter had left for university and to overcome the empty nest syndrome Weir began to follow the news of the second intifada, the conflict that broke out in September 2000 between Israel and Palestine. He did not like what he read, he found it biased. A journalism graduate from the University of Michigan, she decided to travel to Gaza to see what was happening with her own eyes, she says sitting in one of the cafes on the San Francisco pier. Something broke during that visit for her.
Since that trip, he has been a critical voice with the role of the United States in Israel and with the influence of Zionism in American politics, a relationship that he traces in
The Hidden History of the Creation of the State of Israel
(Captain Swing, 2021).
The book, self-published in English in 2014, sold more than 50,000 copies.
But it has also fueled criticism against Weir.
The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish organization, has called her anti-Semitic and considers her one of the "most prominent voices in the anti-Israel movement."
QUESTION.
A coalition has the opportunity to form a new Government in Israel.
How do you see it?
ANSWER.
The political situation in Israel and Palestine has not changed much over the years.
Nothing too significant.
It seems that there may be an even more nationalist, right-wing prime minister.
I am not an expert on Israeli domestic politics, but all the so-called liberal parties carry out the same military operations: they demolish homes and confiscate territory.
Those more on the right are more brazen, more open to using violence.
More information
The formation of the new government in Israel unleashes threats unprecedented since Rabin's death
Q. An Islamist party has joined for the first time a coalition that can form a government.
There is an urgency for change.
A.
Israel is receiving increasing pressure from the rest of the world.
More people have seen what happens in Palestine.
In Israel, there are real actors for peace.
The government cannot go to certain lengths if it wants to escape the international boycott.
There is a Palestinian component in the coalition.
That makes me wonder: is it a decorative element or will it have an impact?
Q. Does the US position change in the Middle East with Biden?
R.
In the Democratic party, supposedly on the left, there has been a much more pro-Palestinian grassroots movement.
And that puts pressure on the leadership and elected representatives, many of whom continue to defend Israel.
President Joe Biden has openly said that he is a Zionist.
He has supported Israel in ways that I find terrifying.
Kamala Harris, same.
There are many differences between the current Administration and that of Trump.
Less in this matter.
Perhaps there will be differences in the nuclear pact with Iran, but I have no hope in Biden, yes in the bases.
Q. Has the debate within the Democratic Party been important for change?
A.
Yes. Democrats are more influenced by Zionism.
That has changed with the neocons, who have entrenched themselves in the Republican Party.
While in the Democrats they have what we call PEP, Progressives with the Exception of Palestine.
They call themselves progressive, but they are in favor of ethnic cleansing.
That is not being progressive.
This is essentially Biden.
Q. How do you differentiate information from Islamist propaganda?
A.
On the website of the non-profit organization I run, If Americans Knew, it clearly states where we get the information, exact quotes and data.
We strive to be accurate.
Much of what we publish is confirmed by human rights organizations and the Red Cross, which are on the ground.
Q. Trace the origins of Zionism in American politics.
When it started?
A.
At the end of the 19th century.
Many educated Americans have heard the word Zionism, but don't know exactly what it is.
It's still amazing to me.
This movement has been active since 1890 with the goal of the United States helping to create an Israeli state in Palestine.
In 1910 politicians were already being pressured and responded.
Q. You write that President Grover Cleveland appointed a Jewish Zionist ambassador to Turkey in 1887.
He did not do it for a geopolitical matter.
He did it for the votes.
A.
That encapsulates everything.
Many wonder how a small group could amass so much influence.
Every politician shares the same motivation: to be elected and then reelected.
They realized that supporting the Palestinians does not help them get re-elected.
It happened to former President Harry Truman, he told those close to him.
And his secretary of state, George Marshall.
Q. What prompted you to go see the situation in Gaza first hand?
A.
I realized that we were only getting one side of the story.
I empathized with Israel because I was brought up that way.
He was not against the Palestinians, but he had heard only negative things.
I began to inform myself and discovered the enormous violence that was exerted against unarmed people and minors.
Also the enormous amount of money that the United States gave to Israel.
I decided to become a
freelance
reporter
from there.
Q. What do you respond to who considers your anti-Israeli views?
A.
All human beings, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, gender or nationality, should have human rights.
The Palestinians should not be an exception.
When South Africa practiced
apartheid,
principled people denounced it.
The same is happening with Israel now.
Q. The
Anti-Defamation League
has labeled you an anti-Semite.
Is it difficult to continue denounced in these times?
A. It
has always been difficult.
At first, I was surprised at how vile the accusations against me were.
Now I am actively talking about the
pro-Israel
lobby
[pressure group], we document it, we investigate who is part of it.
But at the beginning my first talks were about my trip to Gaza and the West Bank.
It described what I saw and showed pictures.
I was called an anti-Semite almost immediately.
After a talk at UC Berkeley they left me a death threat on the phone.
One subject claimed that he and his friends, trained by the Israeli army, would come to kill me.
Sometimes they call me a radical leftist communist.
Others, far-right and white supremacist.
Neither is true.
I only ask that you read what I write.
Q. Do you think there will be a change?
A.
US money in Israel makes things worse.
It empowers the militarists and erodes the power of those who want peace.
If we want peace, let's stop sending those eight or 10 million dollars a day that go to Israel.
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