Suicide Leila Shahid Obituary, Death:- Leïla Shahid, a veteran Palestinian diplomat and prominent voice for her people on the European stage, has died at the age of 76, her family announced this week.
Shahid, who served for many years as Palestine’s delegate in France and later at the European Union, was a central figure in representing Palestinian interests abroad for decades. Born in Beirut in 1949 to a family deeply rooted in Palestinian national politics, Shahid’s life was shaped by displacement and exile.
Her parents were part of generations affected by the upheavals of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and her education at the American University of Beirut helped prepare her for a long career in international advocacy.
Shahid began her diplomatic work in 1989 as the first woman representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Western Europe, serving in Ireland, the Netherlands and Denmark. In 1993 she was appointed general delegate to France, a post she held until the mid-2000s.
She later became Palestine’s envoy to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg. In these roles, Shahid became widely known for articulating the Palestinian position to European leaders and media.
Her career spanned key moments in Middle East diplomacy, including the Oslo peace process era. In recent years, after retiring from formal diplomatic roles in 2015, she remained active in discussions about Palestinian rights and peace efforts.
Shahid died at her home in southern France on February 18, 2026, after years of declining health. Her passing marks the end of a significant chapter in Palestinian diplomatic history.
