Travel Guide Jenin

Located in the north of the West Bank, Jenin borders the hills of Samaria. Under the control of the Palestinian Authority, it is a major city in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with a difficult recent history. Today, Jenin has a population of around 47,000, with a further 24,000 living in its refugee camp. Since the 1948-49 war, Jenin and its camp have become strongholds of the Palestinian armed struggle, notably for the terrorist organizations Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. So much so, in fact, that the town has earned the nickname of "martyrs' capital". Unfortunately, the intense and tragic fighting that the city experienced during the Second Intifada (2001-2005) has resumed. In 2023, the Jenin camp was the scene of armed raids and bombardments by Israeli forces: in addition to the fatalities and many wounded, the camp's refugees were forced to flee. In July 2023, the Israeli army withdraws: at the time of writing, we cannot anticipate how the situation will evolve. This is the biggest Israeli military operation in the West Bank for 20 years. We therefore do not recommend visiting the city at this time. In any case, please check with us before making any travel plans.Jenin was the subject of a film directed by Israeli filmmaker Julianno Mer-Khamis, Arna's Children( 2003). This film tells the story of a children's theater troupe set up by his mother in Jenin between 1989 and 2003, and of the evolution of each of them as a function of the dramatic events experienced by the city during this period. The director was assassinated in 2011 in the streets of Jenin by a member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.