Leila Shahid
Encyclopedia
Leila Shahid
She is the daughter of Serene Husseini Shahid
and thus a member of the Al-Husayni
clan. She is the great-great-granddaughter of the Baha'i
prophet Baha'u'llah
though she is not a Baha'i herself.
Shahid's parents were from Acre and Jerusalem, but she grew up with her two sisters in exile in Lebanon. Studied anthropology and psychology at the American University of Beirut. After studying in Beirut, Leila worked in the Palestinian refugee camps until 1974 when she began her doctorate in anthropology in Paris -- where she met Jean Genet
, who later accompanied her back to Beirut in 1982. In 1976 she was elected president of the Union of Palestinian students in France.
In September 1982, Shahid and Jean Genet to Beirut. They arrived during the Sabra and Chatila massacres. Genet's account was published in "La revue d'études palestiniennes", in an article entitled Quatre heures à Chatila (Four Hours at Chatila) -- Catherine Biscovitch's film "Dancing Among the Dead" was based on this article by Genet.
In 1977 she married the Moroccan writer Mohammed Berrada
and settled in Morocco until 1986.
Leila Shahid is the first woman ambassador of Palestine; Shahid was the official representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization
in Ireland
from 1989, in Netherlands (1990), then the PA in France
where she had taken office in Paris
in 1993 for 13 years.
Shahid is, since 2006, the General Delegate of Palestine to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg.
She was a longtime director of "La revue d'études palestiniennes" (The Review of Palestinian Studies), while serving as a board member right now.
The Russell Tribunal on Palestine was established in response to a call by Leila Shahid and Ken Coates (Chairperson of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation), Nurit Peled (Israeli, Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Speech 2001).
She is the daughter of Serene Husseini Shahid
Serene Husseini Shahid
Serene Husseini Shahid was born in Jerusalem as a member of the influential Husayni family. Her father was Jamal al-Husayni, her maternal grandfather was Mayor of Jerusalem Faidi al-Alami, and her maternal uncle was Musa al-Alami....
and thus a member of the Al-Husayni
Al-Husayni
Husayni is the name of a prominent Palestinian Arab clan formerly based in Jerusalem. Several members of the clan held important political positions such as Mayor and Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and founded and led many Palestinian Arab Islamist groups such as the Holy War Army, the Palestine Arab...
clan. She is the great-great-granddaughter of the Baha'i
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
prophet Baha'u'llah
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
though she is not a Baha'i herself.
Shahid's parents were from Acre and Jerusalem, but she grew up with her two sisters in exile in Lebanon. Studied anthropology and psychology at the American University of Beirut. After studying in Beirut, Leila worked in the Palestinian refugee camps until 1974 when she began her doctorate in anthropology in Paris -- where she met Jean Genet
Jean Genet
Jean Genet was a prominent and controversial French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but later took to writing...
, who later accompanied her back to Beirut in 1982. In 1976 she was elected president of the Union of Palestinian students in France.
In September 1982, Shahid and Jean Genet to Beirut. They arrived during the Sabra and Chatila massacres. Genet's account was published in "La revue d'études palestiniennes", in an article entitled Quatre heures à Chatila (Four Hours at Chatila) -- Catherine Biscovitch's film "Dancing Among the Dead" was based on this article by Genet.
In 1977 she married the Moroccan writer Mohammed Berrada
Mohammed Berrada
Mohammed Berrada , also transliterated Muhammad Baradah, is a Moroccan novelist, literary critic and translator writing in Arabic. He is considered one of Morocco's most important modern authors....
and settled in Morocco until 1986.
Leila Shahid is the first woman ambassador of Palestine; Shahid was the official representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from 1989, in Netherlands (1990), then the PA in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where she had taken office in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1993 for 13 years.
Shahid is, since 2006, the General Delegate of Palestine to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg.
She was a longtime director of "La revue d'études palestiniennes" (The Review of Palestinian Studies), while serving as a board member right now.
The Russell Tribunal on Palestine was established in response to a call by Leila Shahid and Ken Coates (Chairperson of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation), Nurit Peled (Israeli, Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Speech 2001).