Come and See!

John 1:39

The Lord said to Abraham, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) It was by faith that Abraham, the Father of Nations, obeyed when God called him to leave his home and go to another land. He was the first recorded pilgrim of […]

Working to Achieve Mission Impossible

By: H.E. Khaled Osaily, Minister of National Economy

Tourism is one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world. As it requires a variety of services, it promotes local economic development by contributing to domestic spending and bringing in foreign currencies in addition to creating both direct and indirect employment opportunities, especially for the most vulnerable groups such as women […]

Damage, Destruction, and Devastation

By: Tony Khashram

With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of tourism activities suddenly dropped to zero. Now, five months later, all 32,000 Palestinians employed in this industry have become unemployed. The current difficulties and complications are exacerbated by the debts that the sector accumulated from large investments into the tourism sector during the past few […]

Making Tourism a Sustainable Enterprise

By: Xavier Abu Eid

Every Christmas we are faced with the same questions: “How many people are going to visit Bethlehem?” “How many people visited last year?” But while numbers are important, the situation of tourism in Palestine in general, and Bethlehem in particular, cannot be grasped by numbers alone. Palestine is one of the world’s oldest touristic destinations, […]

The Beauty of Up North

By: Raed Saadeh

The towns of Burqin and Zababdeh and the ten towns and villages in Marj ben Amer, the large fertile plain in the Jenin area, are of inherent beauty and distinction and blessed with an abundance of natural attractions and exquisite landscapes. These are enjoyed by the 500 million birds that visit this glorious countryside every […]

Experiential Tourism in Palestine

By: Michel Awad

As with all tourism sectors worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted experiential tourism in Palestine. Since March 2020, all hiking and biking programs in Palestinian have been suspended. Host families, guesthouses, hotel and service providers, and tour guides have lost hundreds of opportunities to host or guide international visitors, as travel restrictions have made it […]

Can We Learn from Other Countries?

By: Amira Gabarin

Tourism is essential to the survival of the Palestinian economy. Depending on its religious, natural, and historical sites, tourism to Palestine reached 816,457 people in 2019, an increase of 31.4 percent from the previous year. Tourism activities contribute more than US$1.5 billion to the Palestinian economy. For every direct job in the tourism sector, two […]

Gaza – A Butterfly in Waiting?

By: Geoff D. Prewitt

I raise a glass to those that share my vision of a butterfly’s joyful iridescence in this interminable tunnel of night. From “State of Siege” by Mahmoud Darwish I am not Palestinian. Although I have visited Gaza numerous times, perhaps over 50, one might question why I am qualified to write such an article. Perhaps […]

Tourism, Culture, and Heritage

A New Approach

By: Ahmed Yasin

Tourism is an important sector in the economy of many states. Not only does it pour money into the treasury, it also equips international and local audiences with information about the history, heritage, culture, and other aspects of a society and a nation. In Palestine in 2017, the tourism sector contributed 2.8 percent to the […]

Recovery Plan for Palestine’s Tourism Sector

By: Salah Elayan

Incoming tourism has been wholly paralyzed across the globe due to the spread of COVID-19. Naturally, this applies also to Palestine, where tourism is considered the most important export good. While at this point it is difficult to predict the duration of this crisis or assess its implications, the main stakeholders in the public and […]

Souqona

Connecting Palestinian Farmers to Markets

By: Courtesy of CARE Palestine West Bank/Gaza

Farming is part of Palestinian cultural identity, and the agricultural sector employs more than one in ten men and one in five women in Palestine. The sector is characterized by structural inefficiencies, an important aspect of which is the small size of farms. Around 85 percent of agriculture in Palestine is semi-subsistent, family-based farming with […]

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TWIP Archive

Message From the editor

The economic situation in Palestine is dire amid the pandemic. No tourists have entered the country for five months. Businesses are struggling or have closed down. Daily new cases of COVID-19 have been in the hundreds for weeks, as few heed social distancing guidelines or wear masks. We are growing increasingly numb to the numbers. […] more

Can’t Hide the Sun’s Rays with a Sieve

First of all, let me thank those who have supported This Week in Palestine through the newly installed “Donate” button on our website. It has been increasingly difficult to depend on the tourism and cultural sectors that have traditionally been our main source of income. How to support TWiP? Go to www.thisweekinpalestine.com, scroll midway down […] more

In the Limelight

Personality of the Month

Jamal Al-Nimer

By Dina Jaber Born in 1964 in the Palestinian town of Kharbatha Bani Harith, Jamal Al-Nimer is the chairman of the Carmel and Caesar hotels and the secretary of the Arab Hotel Association. His is the story of a passionate Palestinian who, after having earned a BA in business administration from Birzeit University in 1986, […]

Artist of the Month

Mohamed Najem

“A mix between Arabic and world music with a touch of jazz” is the way Mohamed Najem describes the musical style of his band Mohamed Najem & Friends. He uses classical techniques in an Arabic interpretation and thus creates an original sound and style on his clarinet. His compositions reflect an eclectic combination of rhythms […]

Book of the Month

Mornings in Jenin

By Susan Abulhawa Bloomsbury, USA; Reprint edition, 2010 Paperback, 352 pages, US$16.20 Published in 2010, Susan Abulhawa’s debut novel, Mornings in Jenin, has been translated into 30 languages and is widely considered a classic in Palestinian literature. The breadth of this novel’s readership around the world has made Abulhawa one of the most widely read […]

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