Emily Harris
International Correspondent Emily Harris is based in Jerusalem as part of NPR's Mideast team. Her post covers news related to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. She began this role in March of 2013.
Over her career, Harris has served in multiple roles within public media. She first joined NPR in 2000, as a general assignment reporter. A prolific reporter often filing two stories a day, Harris covered major stories including 9/11 and its aftermath, including the impact on the airline industry; and the anthrax attacks. She also covered how policies set in Washington are implemented across the country.
In 2002, Harris worked as a Special Correspondent on NOW with Bill Moyer, focusing on investigative storytelling. In 2003 Harris became NPR's Berlin Correspondent, covering Central and Eastern Europe. In that role, she reported regularly from Iraq, leading her to be a key member of the NPR team awarded a 2005 Peabody Award for coverage of the region.
Harris left NPR in December 2007 to become a host for a live daily program, Think Out Loud, on Oregon Public Broadcasting. Under her leadership Harris's team received three back to back Gracie Awards for Outstanding Talk Show, and a share in OPB's 2009 Peabody Award for the series "Hard Times." Harris's other awards include the RIAS Berlin Commission's first-place radio award in 2007 and second-place in 2006. She was a John S. Knight fellow at Stanford University in 2005-2006.
A seasoned reporter, she was asked to help train young journalist through NPR's "Next Generation" program. She also served as editorial director for Journalism Accelerator, a project to bring journalists together to share ideas and experiences; and was a writer-in-residence teaching radio writing to high school students.
One of the aspects of her work that most intrigues her is why people change their minds and what inspires them to do so.
Outside of work, Harris has drafted a screenplay about the Iraq war and for another project is collecting stories about the most difficult parts of parenting.
She has a B.A. in Russian Studies from Yale University.
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A fence is often thought of as something that provides protection. But even amid recent attacks on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, not all Israelis support more fencing. -
Israel has made a deal to create an area at Judaism's holiest site where women and men can pray together. But some say creating a government-supported egalitarian prayer space undermines unity. -
In Israel, a debate is underway over ways to end the most recent wave of Palestinian violence. Secretary of State Kerry visited the region this week and met separately with the leaders of both sides.
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In a case that lasted years, Israel's highest court ordered removal of a synagogue built on Palestinian land. But the case was complicated by the government's $1.3 million payout to Jewish settlers. -
Secretary of State John Kerry met with Palestinian and Jordanian leaders over the weekend. NPR's Emily Harris talks to Steve Inskeep about the unrest in Jerusalem and what's been proposed.
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The war of words is at a fevered pitch between Israeli and Palestinians. Each side accuses the other of spreading false stories to turn up the heat. -
Israeli authorities have blocked roads and soldiers are stopping cars at checkpoints. Israel may not return the bodies of accused Palestinian attackers for fear funerals will ignite more violence.
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Families of two Palestinians accused of attacks on Israelis describe their shock and some of the anger driving a new wave of violence.
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City officials are getting tough on the soccer field — by cracking down on fan behavior, especially anti-Arab actions. If fans are racist or violent, the teams they support will pay the price. -
Government rabbis decide who is officially Jewish, which affects issues including marriage and divorce. But religious and political rivals have started their own system for conversion.
