This Week in Palestine - Site of the Week
Issue no. 11 - June 1999
The village of Sinjel
This Palestinian village lies on top of a high
hill overlooking the road between Ramallah and Nablus, about 30 kms away
from Jerusalem. Its location separates the north and the south of Palestine,
and it overlooks the plain on which lies the village of Turmos Ayya. It
was named during the big crusade as St. Gilles and was later transformed
into Sinjil according to the Arabic dialect.
The French Count Raymond built a castle in
the village to protect the passage of travelling caravans. Other historical
sites in the village are the old well of Prophet Joseph and a memorial
holy site for the Prophet Jacob. It also contains a shrine for a holy man,
Abu Ouf, from the time of the Caliph Omar Ibn al Khattab. The residents,
as in most Palestinian villages, are primarily farmers, and the village
is well known for its grapes, figs and olive produce which is exported
to Jordan and other areas. As one of the oldest villages in Palestine,
Sinjil is well worth a visit, particularly as its residents are very hospitable
and welcome visitors from all parts of the world.
Courtesy of Bassem Asfour, Sinjil
[Back
to contents]
Jerusalem Media & Communication Centre (JMCC),
PO Box 25047, East Jerusalem, Palestine
Tel. 972-2-5819777, Fax. 972-2-5829534
E-mail: ptw@jmcc.org