Jenin
The
city of Jenin, believed to be ancient Eingannin or Gannim, is 43 kms north
of Nablus. It is situated at 120 - 250m above sea level, and enjoys a strategic
position on the crossroads between the central Palestinian mountains and
Marj Bin Amer (Esdraelon or Jezreel plain). Jenin is mentioned in the Bible
by the name of Einganim and is described as a beautiful city with abundant
water supplies, springs and gardens. During the Roman period, Jenin was
a small village named Jinai in the Sebastia district. Jesus is said to
have passed by the city several times on his way to Jerusalem from Nazareth.
A church was built in the city during the 6 century AD, its remains were
uncovered near the present grand mosque. During the Crusader period, Jenin
was a small, but important village, which the Crusaders fortified by a
wall and built a fortress inside. Salaheddin took over the city following
the famous battle of Hittin in 1187 and spent a night in the city on his
way to Jerusalem.
Jenin became an important town during the 13 century
because the Mamluks, who feared more Crusader invasions, destroyed the
coastal Palestinian towns and fortified several inland cities including
Jenin. The Mamluk prince Tajar al-Dawadar built a khan or inn and a Sabil
or water spring and several public baths in the city. Princess Khatun built
the grand mosque on the foundations of an earlier Crusader church. During
the 2 World War the Germans built an airport runway in Jenin to help the
Turks. On the western edge of the town there is a memorial to the pilots
who died during the war. At the southern entrance of the city is another
memorial for Iraqi soldiers who fell during the 1948 war.
The ancient city of Jenin was situated on the Tell right
in the middle of the present city, next to the bus station.
Jenin's geographic location close to the Jordan valley
to the east, the Mediterranean to the west, and right in the center of
the most fertile plain in Palestine, Marj Bin Amer, makes it an ideal site
for growing fruit trees and vegetables. Citrus trees are abundant, and
its vegetable market is a shopper's pilgrimage for the residents of nearby
cities and villages. In Spring, the road to Jenin, whether the official
Nablus-Jenin road heading north-west, or the less trodden road through
Tubas (south-east and then heading north), or the trip southward from Nazareth,
the hills and mountains on the way are covered with wild yellow and purple
flowers growing amidst the green grass. Wheat fields are abundant, as well
as olive and almond trees. A hike and picnic along the way in the middle
of what seems to be nowhere is recommended in May, before the summer heat
creeps in.
Source of historic information: The PACE tour guide
of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, 1999.