Palestinian Female Leaders

Hanan Ashrawi is a Palestinian leader, legislator, activist, and scholar. She was the official spokesperson of the Palestinian delegation at the Madrid Peace Conference of 1991 and was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council as a representative of Jerusalem in 1996. She is also the founder of the Independent Commission for Human Rights and the author of several books. 

Janet Mikhail scripted history as the first female mayor of Ramallah, a Palestinian city in the West Bank. She also taught in a girls’ school for 2 decades. Although many believe she was associated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine movement, she won the election as an independent candidate.

Initially a lecturer, Jamila Abdallah Taha al-Shanti later led the Hamas’s women's organization. The widow of Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, also known as the Lion of Palestine, Jamila is vocal about women’s rights and is a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council. She also holds a PhD in English language.

Umm Nidal, also known as the mother of martyrs, was a Palestinian hero of sorts, as 3 of her 6 sons were Hamas terrorists who died in their fight against Israelis. Also known as the Khansa of Palestine, she gained fame after appearing in a clip advising one of her sons.

 A pioneering figure of the women’s movement in Palestine, Samiha Khalil started the charitable organization al-Inaash al-Usra society from her garage. She has also been detained multiple times for her association with the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. She also contributed to the development of a museum in Ramallah.