Leïla Shahid, former general delegate of Palestine to France and to the European Union, died on Wednesday February 18, 2026. She was 76 years old.
Published on: 02/18/2026 - 3:53 p.m. Modified on: 02/18/2026 - 10:07 p.m.
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His face had become emblematic of the Palestinian cause. Just like Yasser Arafat's. Leïla Shahid, former general delegate of Palestine in France, died on Wednesday February 18, 2026, at the age of 76, her sister Zeina announced to AFP, confirming information from the newspaper Le Monde. Ill for many months, she lived in the south of France.
“Yes, she died today,” said her sister, without specifying the circumstances of her death.
His body was found Wednesday at his home in the hamlet of La Lèque, in the town of Lussan, in the Gard department, a source close to the investigation told AFP.
According to the first elements, it would be a suicide, added this source specifying that an investigation had been opened to “search for the causes of death”, as is the case in such circumstances.
Born in Beirut in 1949, Leïla Shahid came from two large Palestinian families historically involved in the national movement: the al-Husseini and al-Alami. Grandniece of the Mufti of Jerusalem Amin al-Husseini, her family included many major figures of Palestinian nationalism including Yasser Arafat, her cousin.
Leila Shahid was the first woman to represent abroad the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a political leadership long led by Yasser Arafat.
From 1989 to 1993, she was PLO representative in Ireland, the Netherlands and Denmark. In 1994, she became the general delegate of Palestine in France. Yasser Arafat was then president of the Palestinian Authority.
Between 2005 and 2015, she was Ambassador of Palestine to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg.
“A huge loss for Palestine”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas paid tribute to his memory on Wednesday, praising a "model of diplomacy", according to the official Wafa news agency.
Leïla Shahid "had devoted her life to the defense of the Palestinian cause and had been an authentic voice of Palestinian diplomacy, carrying out the missions entrusted to her with competence and distinction and contributing to strengthening the presence of the Palestinian cause on the European and international scene", said President Abbas.
She was "a model of diplomacy attached to the values of freedom, justice and peace", adds the press release sent by the Wafa agency.
The current ambassador of Palestine to France, Hala Abou-Hassira, hailed earlier on X "an iconic ambassador", deploring "an immense loss for Palestine, and for the world which believes in justice."
“She will remain this strong and worthy voice of Palestine in France, tireless campaigner for peace,” Karim Amellal, former interministerial delegate for the Mediterranean, from 2020 to 2025, also welcomed on
Leïla Shahid completed her secondary studies in Lebanon, then a degree in anthropology at the American University of Beirut. She was married to a Moroccan writer.
She was among the first Palestinians to establish contact with peace-loving Israelis.
With AFP
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