Rula Jebreal

Rula Jebreal is a journalist, author, and foreign policy analyst known for her work in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. Jebreal earned a scholarship from the Italian government to study medicine at the University of Bologna, graduating with a degree in physiotherapy before returning to complete a master's in journalism and political science. This academic background led to a media career in which she became the first foreign anchorwoman to broadcast the 8 p.m. news in the history of Italian television.

Jebreal received a Media Watch award for her coverage of the Iraq war and the International Ischia Award for Best Journalist of the Year. She launched a daily talk show for Italian television, "Omnibus," where she interviewed global figures including Silvio Berlusconi, Bill Gates, Palestinian President Abu Mazen, and Nobel Prize winner El Baradei. She also produced and hosted a television show in Egypt, interviewing political and economic leaders in a program recognized for its independence in Egyptian media.

Jebreal's first novel, "Miral," has been translated into 15 languages, sold internationally, and was adapted into a film directed by Julian Schnabel from Jebreal's screenplay. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and received the UNICEF Protection of Children Award. It was also the first film to premiere at the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations. Her second novel, "The Bride of Aswan," was translated into five languages and received the International Fenice Europa Award. Her third book, "Rejected," is a nonfiction study of immigration history in Europe.

After relocating to the United States, Jebreal has served as an on-air foreign policy analyst for MSNBC and contributed to Daily Beast, Newsweek, and Salon.com, focusing on Islamic extremism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and political developments in the Arab Muslim world. She is a regular commentator on CNN and NBC and has published work in Washington Post, New York Times, and Foreign Policy magazine.

Jebreal's work addresses topics such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the war on terror, global far-right movements, and the impact of propaganda and conspiracy theories. She is a visiting professor at the University of Miami, teaching communications. Jebreal also serves on the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council and the Advisory Board of The U.S./Middle East Project. Fluent in Italian, English, Arabic, Hebrew, and German, Jebreal offers a multilingual and multicultural perspective on global affairs, international relations, and media analysis.