Taghreed El-Khodary
Encyclopedia
Taghreed El-Khodary is a Palestinian journalist who is currently a visiting scholar in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment, where her research focuses on the future of Gaza
. She is also a 2010 Heinrich Boell
Fellow.
From 2001 to 2009, El-Khodary reported from Gaza for The New York Times
. She stopped reporting for the Times soon after the Electronic Intifada
reported that Ethan Bronner
, the Jerusalem bureau chief of the Times, has a son serving in the Israeli army
. The Times decided not to remove Bronner from his position, and El-Khodary resigned, saying she felt it was “not wise” for her to stay. “It’s risky,” she said in a panel discussion at the Palestine Center
in Washington DC. “It’s very sensitive and I was really disappointed that [the New York Times] took this decision but they understand why I left.”
and holds an undergraduate degree in communications from the American University in Cairo
and an MS in mass communication from Murray State University
, which she attended as a Fulbright Scholar
. El-Khodary later returned to the U.S. to take up a Nieman Fellowship
at Harvard University in 2006 as the Ruth Cowan Nash Fellow, and again in 2010 as a Heinrich Boell
Fellow and Visiting Scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
.
; television reporter for Al Jazeera
; and TV news correspondent for Al Hayat LBC, in addition to work on individual documentaries for National Geographic, PBS (US), ITV
(UK), and CBC
(Canada). In 2010 she led a three-week mentorship program on election coverage for journalists in northern Sudan
under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme
and Linnaeus University
’s Fojo Media Institute.
El-Khodary came to public attention during the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
, when Israel prevented correspondents from crossing the Gaza-Israel border and she was among the few correspondents reporting from Gaza. She describes herself as among the "very few objective reporters" covering the conflict., and was praised for the "in-depth, balanced coverage" of the conflict. She feels that her identity, as a Palestinian, was useful to her reporting in Gaza because she was able to "live the story"
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
. She is also a 2010 Heinrich Boell
Heinrich Boell
Heinrich Boell was a German organist and choir conductor.-References:...
Fellow.
From 2001 to 2009, El-Khodary reported from Gaza for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. She stopped reporting for the Times soon after the Electronic Intifada
Electronic Intifada
The Electronic Intifada is a not-for-profit, independent online publication which covers the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective, "aimed at combating the pro-Israeli, pro-American spin" its editors believe exists in mainstream media accounts.-History:EI was founded by Ali...
reported that Ethan Bronner
Ethan Bronner
Ethan Samuel Bronner has been Jerusalem bureau chief of The New York Times since March 2008 following four years as deputy foreign editor.-Biography:...
, the Jerusalem bureau chief of the Times, has a son serving in the Israeli army
. The Times decided not to remove Bronner from his position, and El-Khodary resigned, saying she felt it was “not wise” for her to stay. “It’s risky,” she said in a panel discussion at the Palestine Center
Palestine Center
The Palestine Center is an independent think tank based in Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.. Their focus is on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other Middle East issues....
in Washington DC. “It’s very sensitive and I was really disappointed that [the New York Times] took this decision but they understand why I left.”
Background
El-Khodary was born in GazaGaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
and holds an undergraduate degree in communications from the American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
and an MS in mass communication from Murray State University
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
, which she attended as a Fulbright Scholar
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
. El-Khodary later returned to the U.S. to take up a Nieman Fellowship
Nieman Fellowship
The Nieman Fellowship is an award given to mid-career journalists by The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. This award allows winners time to reflect on their careers and focus on honing their skills....
at Harvard University in 2006 as the Ruth Cowan Nash Fellow, and again in 2010 as a Heinrich Boell
Heinrich Böll Foundation
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is a German, legally independent political foundation. Affiliated with the German Green Party, it was originally founded in 1987 and rebuilt in 1997...
Fellow and Visiting Scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a foreign-policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. The organization describes itself as being dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States...
.
Professional Work
El-Khodary has worked as a radio reporter for Voice of AmericaVoice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
; television reporter for Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
; and TV news correspondent for Al Hayat LBC, in addition to work on individual documentaries for National Geographic, PBS (US), ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
(UK), and CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
(Canada). In 2010 she led a three-week mentorship program on election coverage for journalists in northern Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
and Linnaeus University
Linnaeus University
Linnaeus University is a public university in the Småland region of Sweden. It has two campuses, one in Växjö and one in Kalmar. Linnaeus University was established in 2010 by a merger of former Växjö University and Kalmar University College , and has been named in honour of Carl Linnaeus.-...
’s Fojo Media Institute.
El-Khodary came to public attention during the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
The Gaza War, known as Operation Cast Lead in Israel and as the Gaza Massacre in the Arab world, was a three-week bombing and invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israel, and hundreds of rocket attacks on south of Israel which...
, when Israel prevented correspondents from crossing the Gaza-Israel border and she was among the few correspondents reporting from Gaza. She describes herself as among the "very few objective reporters" covering the conflict., and was praised for the "in-depth, balanced coverage" of the conflict. She feels that her identity, as a Palestinian, was useful to her reporting in Gaza because she was able to "live the story"