American activist and writer known for her interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2000, she left her home in California to travel alone to Palestine and Israel as a freelance journalist, to see the Middle East conflict firsthand. What she discovered led her to feel that this was one of the most important and least understood problems for Americans today. Founder and CEO of If Americans Knew and chair of the Council for the National Interest, Weir tirelessly studies conflict, its history and connection to the United States and travels the world talking about her experiences and research. Both Weir and If Americans Knew are known for criticizing media coverage of Israel. He has received criticism and praise for his activism. In 2004, she became the first woman to receive an honorary membership in the Phi Alpha Literary Society and was described as an "outraged journalist in the name of human rights". Other honorary members include President Jimmy Carter and journalist Helen Thomas. Weir has also won awards from the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.