TAHER SHRITEH
PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST & BIOGRAPHER
BIOGRAPHY
EARLY LIFE & JOURNALISM
In 1984, he was offered admission to study a master's in mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, in the United States. He returned to Palestine in 1986, however, after being unable to afford the tuition fees to complete his studies. Soon after his return to Palestine, he became involved in journalism after meeting Reuters correspondant Paul Taylor. He would subsequently provide reports in events in the Gaza Strip for a number of international news agencies, including Reuters, The New York Times, the BBC, CBS, and Voice of America.
In December 1987, after the outbreak of the First Intifada, he was arrested by the Israeli military and detained for two days in solitary confinment, during which he was beaten. In October 1989, the Israeli military raided his home, seizing his reporting material and notebooks, claiming that a need to investigate whether he had been inciting demonstrations during the First Intifada. The raid caused significant controversy, both with claims that the Israeli government was attempting to suppress coverage of its actions during the Intifada and after the military began ordering the sources in Shriteh's notebooks to present themselves at the military headquarters in Gaza City.
He was arrested again in January 1991, being placed in administrative detention by Shin Bet. The Israeli government accused Shriteh of having "given aid to an enemy organization" due to his reporting on the new, upsurgent Islamic nationalist group Hamas. Shriteh claimed that he had translated popularly-circulated Hamas leaflets and passed the translations on to Reuters as part of routine journalism of current events in Gaza. Shriteh also accused the Israeli authorities of abusing him during his detention. In 1999, he wrote that:
Most of the time I was in solitary confinement. The one by one-and-a-half yard cell was windowless, wet and cold. There were no blankets. It was January and I could not sleep in the cold. I could only use the toilet once a day, when the Shin Bet officer allowed me to. Sometimes, I was forced to sit on a baby chair with my hands and my feet cuffed and my head covered by a sack made of thick fabric. I was isolated from the outside world for 26 consecutive days. I lost track of the time and the date. I also lost 28 pounds.
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TIMELINE
1984
Offered admission to study a master's in mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
1986
Returned to Palestine and became involved in journalism after meeting Reuters correspondant Paul Taylor.
1987
After the outbreak of the First Intifada, he was arrested by the Israeli military and detained for two days in solitary confinment, during which he was beaten.
1989
The Israeli military raided his home, seizing his reporting material and notebooks, claiming that a need to investigate whether he had been inciting demonstrations during the First Intifada.
1991
He was arrested again, being placed in administrative detention by Shin Bet. The Israeli government accused Shriteh of having "given aid to an enemy organization" due to his reporting on the new, upsurgent Islamic nationalist group Hamas.
1992 and 1993
Was again arrested by the Israeli military, and considered for inclusion in the mass deportation of Hamas members to Lebanon.
1995
A travel ban was imposed on Shriteh, preventing him from leaving the Gaza Strip, and his wife, who was originally from Jerusalem, was forced to regularly apply for permits to be allowed to stay with him in Gaza.
2000
Moved to the United States.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
In 1993, he was awarded the John R. Aubuchon Award by the American National Press Club Journalism Institute "for his coverage of turbulence in the Gaza Strip in the face of harassment by Israeli authorities.
MEDIA
Episode 1: I Like America But I Love My Country More:
Episode 2 - How I Became a Journalist:
Episode 3 - Humiliation:
GALLERY
TESTIMONIALS
I have had the honor of knowing Taher Shriteh for decades and feel compelled to speak about the man I know—someone whose integrity, resilience, and commitment to truth have long stood out.
Before creating a successful business, Taher was a widely respected journalist. He reported for The New York Times, Reuters, and CBS News during some of the most challenging periods in Gaza and was recognized by the National Press Club for his courageous work.
He also collaborated with my parents, Israeli scholars Haim and Rivca Gordon, on Beyond Intifada, an oral history documenting Palestinians' lived experiences during the conflict. His work was grounded in empathy and an unwavering belief in preserving human stories—especially those too often overlooked.
Taher is someone who leads with decency. He has endured hardship with quiet strength, including being wrongfully imprisoned and mistreated, all without ever being charged or accused of any wrongdoing. Through all the challenges he has faced in his life, he has remained guided by a clear moral compass and a deep sense of justice.
Taher is a principled, compassionate, and honorable man who has devoted his life to telling the truth, helping others, and building bridges where others might seek to divide.
Neve Gordon