My New York Times idol is Isabel Kershner. She is an author and has been reporting on Jerusalem since 2007. Previously, she was a Senior Editor for The Jerusalem Report Magazine. She has also commented on Middle Eastern affairs for BBC and on other reputable news broadcasting organizations.

I was first drawn to her news articles because I aspire to write invigorating and challenging stories about Middle Eastern politics– especially since I am a woman from the Middle East.

Her writing spoke to me because she clearly isn’t afraid of leaning into the harder conversations in regards to the Palestine/Israeli conflict. She reports the facts, and this could help the public reevaluate their beliefs on the issue. She has a very strong moral tone within her articles, reflecting the sensitivity one must feel when considering the conflict. She also uses a vast amount of evidence which helps to establish her credibility (a vital component especially when juggling with a topic this dense). Although Isabel doesn’t write as often as other reporters for the Middle East, her articles are able to challenge the status quo each time.

Here are some of her recent articles:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/02/world/middleeast/israel-west-bank-violence.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/world/middleeast/palestinian-government-resigns.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/20/world/middleeast/israel-attack-syria-iran.html