Long-time White House reporter Helen Thomas died on Saturday after a long illness at the age of 92, the Washington journalists’ organization said in a statementThomas worked the White House beat for 49 years for United Press International and Hearst newspapers. During her nearly half-centurey at the White House, she has reported every single president since John F Kennedy.
In 2010 Thomas was fired from the white house after statements she made to a novice camera man openly expressing her opinion regarding the state of Israel.
When asked about Israel, Thomas said that they should get out of Palestine, a statement that created uproar among Israeli politicians and Zionist groups which led to her being fired.
Following the uproar against her statements, Thomas said her comments were misinterpreted by the media, but that she stood by her critique of Israel.
Thomas has always had a reputation for being a tough reporter who was not afraid to ask difficult questions to whoever was in power in the White House, questioning Bush policies of extraordinary rendition and torture, as well as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
When she was fired last year after her controversial comments, most of her former colleagues distanced themselves from her, although a few reporters did stand by her.
