Jenin Hirbawi® Kufiya

Dotted with the remains of ancient irrigation aqueducts, and renowned for its abundance in fruits and vegetables, the scenic city resides on a hilltop, overlooking vast plains of olive, palm, fig, and citrus orchards. Jenin, which has been a site of human settlement since the Neolithic period, lies along the ancient trade route from Nablus to Haifa.

Jenin has seen a great deal of conflict, as a home for several thousand Palestinian refugees. The Jenin refugee camp was founded in 1953 by Jordan to house displaced Palestinians who fled or were expelled during the 1948 War. In 2001, during the Second Intifada, Israeli military targetted the town, during which the refugee camp was turned into a battleground and was decimated. Witnesses stated unarmed people were shot and denied medical treatment, and as a result died – hauntingly represented in the film documentary “Jenin Jenin” by Mohammad Bakri. And still, Jenin is more than ever a beacon of Palestinian bravery and self-determination, in the face of outstanding crimes against humanity. From its ashes have risen some astounding community projects, primarily the Freedom Theatre based in the heart of the Jenin refugee camp.