The international community is mourning the passing of Leila Shahid, the groundbreaking Palestinian diplomat who shattered glass ceilings throughout her remarkable career. She died at age 76 on Wednesday at her residence in Lecques, southern France, as confirmed by her family to Le Monde newspaper.
Born in Beirut in 1949 to parents exiled from Akka and Jerusalem during the 1948 Nakba, Shahid’s life became intertwined with the Palestinian cause from its earliest days. Her academic journey at the American University of Beirut proved formative, bringing her into contact with Yasser Arafat, the future Palestinian leader who would become a close associate.
Shahid’s professional path began with humanitarian work in Lebanese refugee camps before she embarked on her historic diplomatic career. In 1989, she achieved the distinction of becoming the first female representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) internationally, initially serving as envoy to Ireland before assuming representation to the Netherlands and Denmark in the early 1990s.
Her most significant diplomatic posting came as Palestinian ambassador to France from 1994 to 2005, a role that established her as one of the most prominent Palestinian voices in the Francophone world. She subsequently represented Palestine before the European Union, Belgium, and Luxembourg until her retirement in 2015.
Colleagues and world leaders have expressed profound grief at her passing. Palestinian Ambassador to France Hala Abou-Hassira described it as ‘a tremendous loss for Palestine, and for the world that believes in justice.’ Majed Bamya, deputy Palestinian envoy at the UN, celebrated her as ‘Palestine personified in the Francophone world,’ noting her celebrity status among the public.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted the tragic timing of her death amid ongoing violence, noting she ‘leaves us while the State of Israel perpetuates the excessive violence and disregard of international law that Leila witnessed, fought against and brought to the attention of the international community.’
Shahid remained politically engaged throughout her retirement, recently praising France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood in a September interview with France24 as ‘very important’ and ‘not only symbolic.’ She was married to Moroccan writer Mohamed Berrada and divided her time between Beirut and Lecques in her later years.