From Ramallah to the World: An American Storyteller’s Journey

• Reporters: Mirella Maher, Rossella Ibrahim & Salma Shahin
• Editor: Shahd Atef

It was Ramadan 2021, and the call for maghrib (sunset) prayers echoed through the streets of the city of Sheikh Jarrah in Palestine.

Sitting alongside Palestinians about to break their fast at a long table in the middle of the road, Kellie Kuenzle couldn’t help but feel the watchful eyes of Israeli settlers and, at that moment, the looming threat of violence.

As a young independent journalist from the U.S., the scene would leave an indelible mark on Kuenzle who would come to recognize the importance of amplifying Palestinian voices and sharing their stories with the world.

Growing up with the news constantly playing around the house, Kuenzle says she became increasingly politically aware during her high school years. This led to a journey to satisfy a lifelong itch to “shout into the void.”

Her high school senior days were a whirlwind of travel and blogging for her, now inactive, digital diary, “Kellie’s Compass,” a testament to her wanderlust and passion for writing.

Along the way, she crossed paths with an American woman living in Syria, a beacon of hope for Syrian refugees in Jordan through her NGO, “Azraq Education and Community Fund.”

Inspired by the woman’s service toward refugees, this spontaneous encounter would ignite a spark in Kuenzle, setting her on a course to use her words as a catalyst for change by giving a voice to the people who don’t have one.

Once she returned to the United States to share her travel blog with her school, she had a sudden realization just before graduation.

“I remember standing in front of the audience, my teachers, and my parents saying that I want to be a war correspondent and go to these placeswhere there is conflict and report on them,” said Kuenzle.

Intrigued by the world’s shifting dynamics, particularly in the Middle East following 9/11, she embarked on a quest for understanding which led her to study International Relations at The American University of Rome, followed by a year-long transfer to Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Netherlands to study Management of International Social Challenges.

“At the time, she was really interested in journalism, but it was more a passion or a goal than something that she was currently doing. She was full of curiosity and energy,” Tariq Aziz, Kuenzle’s friend from Erasmus University, recalled.

Armed with a blend of academics and budding Arabic skills, Kuenzle arrived in Ramallah in 2019 and was quickly embraced by a community of journalists, both Palestinian and international. There, she found a nurturing environment at the Palestine Monitor, an NGO that advocates for the Palestinian people, and highlights conditions in Gaza and the West Bank.

She quickly felt at home and was able to build a supportive community, honing her journalistic skills and deepening her connection to the region and its people under the guidance of experienced mentors.

“I just felt very emotionally attached to the stories and the place,” said Kuenzle.

Katie, Kuenzle’s older sister, says Kellie always had a strong personal connection to her work.

“She’s very emotionally entrenched in what she does and I could see she was pushing herself very far, but that’s who she is,” said Katie.

Katie also emphasized her trust in her sister’s instincts.

“Having conversations where I feel like I’m not judging her is important. I want her to know she has a good sense of what’s safe and what’s not,” Katie said.

Each story Kuenzle writes is not approached as just another news piece but a reflection of the struggles and dreams of the individuals she meets.

“She really believed strongly in what she was doing, and it’s very admirable that she pursued it as much as she did,” said Aziz.

Kuenzle’s storytelling was profoundly shaped by her interactions with Palestinians in the diaspora, especially during her coverage of the anniversary of the Nakba. Commemorated every May 15 since 1948, the Nakba (or catastrophe) marks the forced and often violent expulsion of 700,000 Palestinian civilians from their homes, and the dispossession of their lands by Israeli armed militias.

She spoke with individuals who had never set foot in their homeland yet maintained a deep emotional connection to it. Their stories of longing and resilience highlighted the complexities of identity and belonging, enriching her perspective and enhancing her empathetic approach to journalism.

Kuenzle’s work at the Palestine Monitor allowed her to contribute to a vital source of information for international audiences as she covered a wide range of topics, such as political developments and cultural events, shedding light on the complexities of the Palestinian experience.

In articles which dove into the Nakba, the struggles of Palestinian farmers amid Israeli military and settler violence, and the displacement of whole families in East Jerusalem, she often challenged prevailing narratives and offered a nuanced perspective on the occupation.

In one article for the Palestine Monitor, Kuenzle wrote, “in witnessing the daily struggles of Palestinians at checkpoints, the humanity of their plight transcends the headlines, revealing not just a conflict, but the resilience of individuals yearning for dignity amidst adversity.”

But Kuenzle’s commitment to journalism often came at a personal cost. As she became more occupied with her work, Katie recalled observing a change in the frequency of their conversations.

“I saw her get more and more into her work there. Over time, there were periods when she was busy and engrossed in what was happening,” said Katie.

Still, their bond remained strong. “We always kind of reach out to each other when we need it,” she added.

Just as Kuenzle began to settle into her niche in Ramallah, the world was thrown into chaos by the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly impacting herjournalistic endeavors.

She had a hard time returning to her home in Ramallah due to COVID-19 border restrictions. She was on a bus

from Tel Aviv back to Ramallah when Israeli soldiers stopped the vehicle at the Qalandia Checkpoint, the primary checkpoint between the northern West Bank and Jerusalem.

“These soldiers get on the bus and they just point to me and I’m like, ‘oh no this is it, my work is catching up to me. Here’s the day,” said Kuenzle.

She couldn’t cross back into the West Bank as soldiers limited the entry of anyone with a tourist status. Normally, she would conceal her residency in Ramallah to avoid complications and questions about what an American like her is doing there.

But with her phone battery dying, she had to reveal the truth to ensure she could return home before the borders tightened.

She was denied entry.

Kuenzle was unable to enter Ramallah and sought help from a friend. Her friend found a way for her to bypass the checkpoint and enter Ramallah through a different route.

“You have to be resourceful. I think I learned that living there for sure,” said Kuenzle.

Kuenzle also had firsthand experience covering the 2021 protests in Sheikh Jarrah, a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem which was on the brink of upheaval as Palestinian families, whose homes had been their lineage for generations, faced the imminent threat of eviction as Israeli settler organizations were exploiting legal channels to forcibly displace these Palestinian residents.

“At one point, the Israeli soldiers had set up cement barricades around the neighborhood and they weren’t letting anyone in or out except these settlers that were already living in the neighborhood,” she said.

As tensions escalated, Kuenzle found herself on the ground, witnessing the fervent resistance of the Palestinian community.

“It was unlike anything I had ever seen… the courage of those people, standing up for their homes amidst overwhelming odds, was both heartbreaking and inspiring,” she recounted.

She recalls the daily gatherings of activists rallying against evictions, united in defiance. She was also profoundly impacted by the Palestinian people’s openness to share their stories, trusting her despite their emotional fatigue from years of injustice, reflecting a hope that the international community will finally care.

“We would sing, chant, and stand together, creating a sense of solidarity that transcended our individual fears,” she says.

“A lot of them [protestors] were strangers and coming out every day to physically protect these people from getting evicted from their homes.”