Leila Shahid

Leila Shahid (1949–2026) was a Palestinian diplomat and the first woman to represent Palestine abroad in an ambassadorial role. She began her diplomatic career with the Palestine Liberation Organization in Ireland in 1989, later serving in the Netherlands, France, and as Palestine’s general delegate to the European Union, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Across these posts, she became a prominent advocate for Palestinian independence and a widely recognized voice in European diplomacy.