It was an ignominious end for Ms. Thomas, who helped clear the path for countless women in journalism, and was bestowed with the unofficial title of dean of the White House press corps. Few White House correspondents were ever afforded the level of deference she has been shown by presidents and fellow reporters. Her front row seat bears a small plaque with her name, the only seat in the briefing room designated by the name of a person, not a news organization.

Image Ms. Thomas questioned President Obama at a news conference last month. A longtime White House correspondent with a designated seat, she recently said Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and go home “to Poland, Germany and America.” Credit... Alex Wong/Getty Images

This show of respect continued despite what many in Washington observed to be the increasingly hostile and outlandish nature of her questions in recent years — and despite the fact that her column was not widely read. Though she has worked as a columnist for Hearst for the last 10 years, she was known more for her presence at White House press conferences than for her writing. Ms. Thomas seemed particularly critical of the Iraq war and repeatedly pointed out during White House briefings that the American-led invasion was costing civilian lives. Dana Perino, a press secretary under President George W. Bush, once scolded Ms. Thomas, saying that the United States regretted the war’s civilian toll. Ms. Thomas, unmoved, shot back, “Regret, it doesn’t bring back a life.”

“The rules have been different for Helen for many years, and only for Helen,” said Ari Fleischer, another Bush press secretary who had called on Ms. Thomas to step down after she made her latest remarks about Israel and the Jews. “Helen earned that right, and she was treated differently. And I never minded it. I enjoyed my ideological thrust and parry with Helen.”

He added, “And sadly she brought this on herself.”

Mr. Fleischer is just one of many of Washington’s most powerful figures who has clashed with Ms. Thomas over the years. President Kennedy once remarked that she would be “a nice girl if she’d ever get rid of that pad and pencil.” And Colin Powell, the former secretary of state, once jokingly griped, “Isn’t there a war somewhere we could send her to?”