To the Editor:

Rebecca George's portrayal of Alison Weir, an anti-Israel activist who frames the Jewish state as a violent aggressor in the Middle East with undue influence over U.S. foreign policy, is distressing ("An intimate look at Israel-Palestine relations," Sept. 25, 2009).

George paints a picture of Weir as a self-sacrificing pursuer of justice when, in actuality, her efforts are motivated by a distinct bias against Israel. In addresses to audiences around the country, Weir claims Israel brutalizes the Palestinians and, through intimidation, prevents criticism from being voiced by the mainstream media. Weir distorts the facts and promotes conspiracy theories about Israel and Jews. Most recently, she advanced outrageous claims of a Jewish plot to harvest organs from Algerian children.

Weir is scheduled to make appearances at several venues throughout Alaska in the coming weeks, including a lecture at the University of Alaska Fairbanks sponsored by an academic department. Weir likely will use these platforms to espouse overt hostility towards Israel and its U.S. supporters.