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Jenin is a city in Palestine, located on the northern side of the West Bank. There’s not much to see in the city, and it has had a complicated recent history.
Lunch in Jenin
We visited Jenin on a guided tour from Jerusalem that included Nablus. Our first stop was at a restaurant on the northern outskirts of the city. I don’t know the name of the place but they served great kebabs.
Jenin City Center
Our original plan for after lunch was to visit residents of the Jenin Refugee Camp, but unfortunately we couldn’t get permission to enter. The camp was founded in 1953 by Jordan to house Palestinians displaced by the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Instead, we drove to the small city center where our guide gave us a half hour to walk around on our own. The guide wanted us to understand that the city is a safe place for foreigners, despite its recent history and contrary to how it has been portrayed in the media.
Jenin has been a center of rebellion against Israel. At least 31 attacks carried out by Palestinian militants during the Second Intifada, totaling 124 victims, have been attributed to Jenin. Nowadays, it has improved under the Valley of Peace initiative, which has seen business and tourism promoted in the area.
Just as our guide pointed out, there was no danger in visiting Jenin. The residents were friendly and happy to say hello to us as we walked around.
Fatima Khatoun Mosque
One of the most important landmarks in Jenin is the Fatima Khatoun Mosque, which is the largest mosque in the city. Also known as the Great Mosque of Jenin, it was founded in 1566 by Fatma Hatun. She was the wife of Ottoman Grand Vizier Lala Mustafa Pasha (1500-1580), who was the governor of Damascus at that time.
The Fatima Khatoun Mosque was built atop the ruins of an older mosque dating back to 636. That mosque was renovated by the Mamluks but fell into ruin in the 14th century.
Ottoman Palace
Across the street from the mosque is the Ottoman Palace, which housed the Ottoman government during their rule. The building serves as the Fatima Khatoun School. Another building I assume to be from the Ottoman period sits nearby.
Jenin Market
To the west of the Fatima Khatoun Mosque is a covered market. We popped inside to see nearly every stall filled with colorful locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.
Holy Redeemer Church
Finally, on the southwest corner of the city center, we spotted the Holy Redeemer Church. It’s administered by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The buildings of the mission were built between 1950 and 1963 to serve the small Catholic community in Jenin. In addition to the church, there’s also a kindergarten that caters to both Christian and Muslim children.
