Closest to God (A Female Journalist's Middle Eastern Story)

Author: Zhou Yijun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Middle East, this sensitive land in the world, is not only a battleground for military powers but also a competition ground for international media. Life and faith have been tested by blood and fire here, and the integrity and professionalism of the media have faced severe challenges. Zhou Yijun has been stationed in a sensitive country. She has walked on bomb explosion sites and bloodstains left by Israeli missile strikes. She has witnessed various war scenes. Her keen journalistic instincts have brought readers dual reporting in both words and images, allowing them to experience firsthand the cruelty of war. This is a great book.
Zhou Yijun, a woman from Shanghai, graduated from Beijing Second Foreign Languages University in 1998. In June 2002, she became the only international journalist stationed in Gaza, serving as a reporter for Xinhua News Agency in the West Bank and Gaza. She has conducted multiple interviews with key Middle Eastern figures such as Yasser Arafat, Mahmoud Abbas, and Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. She was named a winner of the Second CCTV "China Journalist Star." Her work, Closer to God—A Female Journalist's Middle East Stories, was launched as the first anniversary masterpiece of Shanghai Wenhui Publishing House.
During her two-year stay in Gaza, Zhou Yijun interacted with numerous local people and immersed herself in the local culture, having direct contact with figures like Yasser Arafat, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, and Mahmoud Abbas on multiple occasions. She shared her observations and experiences through a blog, attracting widespread attention. These fragments have been compiled into this book, documenting her entire journey over more than 700 days from her arrival in Gaza to her departure. Throughout this period, death, hatred, genuine emotions, and conflicts intertwined, creating a fascinating and stimulating reading experience.