Jenin - Pictures of Palestine

Jenin is the northernmost city of the West Bank, with a population of perhaps 60,000. It's also the lowest city of the West Bank (apart from Jericho), on the edge of a big agricultural plain.

One of its distinctions is that the separation wall is some distance away from the city and there is nowadays not too much pressure from Israeli troops or settlers - they have drawn back from this area. Most of the refugees living here came from Haifa in the Nakba of 1947-8. During the intifada a decade ago, Jenin was known as a centre of the resistance, and the refugee camp was sorely pummelled.

This said, I find the people here very friendly and open. Being at the north end of the West Bank, Jenin lives in a world of its own, but there is plenty of activity here - especially arts and social projects. People here think for themselves and form their own conclusions about life.

Jenin is in Jesus territory - a few of the pictures show the world's fourth oldest church at Birqin, a Christian village just outside the town, where Jesus was reputed to have healed the lepers.

NEXT: Animals

© Copyright Palden Jenkins 2011. All text and photographs on this website are copyright Palden Jenkins. You may not use these pictures in print or on websites without  permission of the author.  The book's website is at   www.palden.co.uk/pop