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CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF LEÏLA SHAHID

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Napoli  ||  | 19 February 2026
Iniziative (EN) - Maison de la Paix (EN)

Secretary-General Michele Capasso, the members of the Executive Council, the Council of Ambassadors and the representatives of the United States branches of the World express their deepest condolences on the loss of Leïla Shahid.
"We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Leïla, - Michele Capasso told the press - a great Palestinian woman, a dear friend, ambassador of Palestine to France and then to the European Union for several decades.
A key figure alongside Arafat in the Palestinian state project, she dedicated her life to her people, defending their right to exist like all other peoples of the world.
A member of the United States of the World and the Fondazione Mediterraneo, she was a leading figure in a period that saw us achieve the dream of two peoples in two states, which has now stalled due to a series of circumstances and the responsibilities of those who govern the State of Israel.
Leïla, seriously ill, decided to end her earthly existence, disappointed by the tragedy of Gaza and its people and by the destruction of the many efforts she had been involved in for more than half a century.
We wish to remember her with the smile and affection she gave us: her passion for Jacopo Molinari and her creativity, her staunch support for the “Totem of Peace”, symbol of the United States of the World, and her many stays in Naples and San Sebastiano al Vesuvio.
Thank you, Leïla, for giving us your friendship and your life. Thank you for your smile. We remember you with a collection of photos, with the beautiful article that Benjamine Barthe dedicated to you in “Le Monde” and with your latest interviews”.