News Ticker
Three Palestinians, including two elderly men, were injured after being assaulted by occupation forces in Tulkarm. | The occupation forces set fire to homes in the Nour Shams refugee camp and continue demolition operations in the Tulkarm | Gaza Ministry of Health: 18 deaths due to famine in Gaza within the past 24 hours. | Al-Shifa Director Warns: Gaza Is Dying in Silence — Hospitals Closed and Genocide Continues | Police and General Intelligence Seize a Coin Counterfeiting Press and Arrest a Suspect in Bethlehem | Hebrew Sources: Israeli Chief of Staff Presents Comprehensive Plan to "Control Gaza" | Palestinian Rights Groups Condemn U.S. Sanctions on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese | Israeli Soldiers Briefly Held in Belgium Over Gaza War Crimes Allegations | UK and 25 international partners urge Israel to immediately end Gaza war, lift aid restrictions | War seen from an emergency room by Dr Sohaib Safi, MSF deputy project medical adviser, Gaza | Palestinian teenager succumbs to wounds sustained by Israeli gunfire earlier tonight near Jenin | Occupation authorities advance 25 new structural plans to expand West Bank colonies | 100+ Aid Groups Urge End to Gaza Siege, Demand Open Crossings | Amnesty International: Palestinians in Gaza facing mass starvation amid aid blockades | UK Foreign Secretary calls for immediate end of war in Gaza | Two Palestinian children fatally shot by Israeli forces south of Bethlehem | UNFPA: Gaza Birth Crisis Deepens Amid Starvation, Trauma and Collapsing Healthcare | France and EU condemn Israel for targeting, killing Palestinian civilians at Gaza aid distribution sites | Macron Announces France Will Recognize Palestinian State at UN in September | Palestinians Renew Call for Full UN Membership, Framing Statehood as Legal and Moral Imperative |  
Three Palestinians, including two elderly men, were injured after being assaulted by occupation forces in Tulkarm. | The occupation forces set fire to homes in the Nour Shams refugee camp and continue demolition operations in the Tulkarm | Gaza Ministry of Health: 18 deaths due to famine in Gaza within the past 24 hours. | Al-Shifa Director Warns: Gaza Is Dying in Silence — Hospitals Closed and Genocide Continues | Police and General Intelligence Seize a Coin Counterfeiting Press and Arrest a Suspect in Bethlehem | Hebrew Sources: Israeli Chief of Staff Presents Comprehensive Plan to "Control Gaza" | Palestinian Rights Groups Condemn U.S. Sanctions on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese | Israeli Soldiers Briefly Held in Belgium Over Gaza War Crimes Allegations | UK and 25 international partners urge Israel to immediately end Gaza war, lift aid restrictions | War seen from an emergency room by Dr Sohaib Safi, MSF deputy project medical adviser, Gaza | Palestinian teenager succumbs to wounds sustained by Israeli gunfire earlier tonight near Jenin | Occupation authorities advance 25 new structural plans to expand West Bank colonies | 100+ Aid Groups Urge End to Gaza Siege, Demand Open Crossings | Amnesty International: Palestinians in Gaza facing mass starvation amid aid blockades | UK Foreign Secretary calls for immediate end of war in Gaza | Two Palestinian children fatally shot by Israeli forces south of Bethlehem | UNFPA: Gaza Birth Crisis Deepens Amid Starvation, Trauma and Collapsing Healthcare | France and EU condemn Israel for targeting, killing Palestinian civilians at Gaza aid distribution sites | Macron Announces France Will Recognize Palestinian State at UN in September | Palestinians Renew Call for Full UN Membership, Framing Statehood as Legal and Moral Imperative |  

From Za’atar to Trails: Farming Hope in Palestine ... Watch PNN Video

Posted On: 20-04-2025 | PNN TV Reports , Economy , Qarib Stories
News Main Image

Jenin / PNN / 

In a small village near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Sonia Oweis has cultivated more than just Za’atar. Through her project “Za’atar and Trails,” she has transformed a family-owned plot of land into an eco-friendly farm and a budding rural tourism destination.

Oweis’ initiative centers on the cultivation of green Za’atar, one of the most popular and traditional foods in Jenin and across Palestine. 

The farm marks the final stop in a scenic walking trail that begins in the village of Jalboun and ends in Al-Mughayir, leading visitors through a restored landscape and culminating at her Za’atar fields.

The idea took root as interest grew in heritage-based products and experiences, inspiring Oweis to revitalize her family’s land into a space that blends agriculture with tourism but the journey has not been easy.

“Access to funding was the biggest challenge,” Oweis said. “With war, limited donor support, and rising costs, I had to take slow and careful steps to move the project forward.”

Today, her farm produces both fresh and dried thyme, which she grinds and blends with sesame to create duqqa jinniyya — a popular Palestinian spice mix used in breads and traditional breakfasts.

Oweis, a young farmer balancing her work with other employment, has ambitions to expand. She hopes to eventually produce aromatic oils and establish a guesthouse at the end of the trail to host tourists and provide them with authentic rural hospitality.

To promote her products, Oweis relies on social media platforms and traditional word-of-mouth marketing. While the Za’atar she grows is not certified organic, it is cultivated using environmentally conscious methods. 

She also actively seeks partnerships with NGOs and community organizations to help grow and sustain her venture — despite the broader economic challenges Palestinians face amid war and financial instability.

For Oweis, the intersection of womanhood, farming, and entrepreneurship in Palestine presents its own hurdles.

“Being a woman in agriculture, while also holding a job, can be overwhelming,” she said. “But with determination and hard work, I find joy, growth, and purpose.

She said:" My dream is to keep developing this farm, this Trails, and this vision.”

Za’atar holds deep cultural significance in Palestinian cuisine, often symbolizing a strong connection to the land and tradition. It is a staple on breakfast tables, typically served with olive oil and fresh bread.

In rural areas, generations of Palestinian women have passed down za’atar recipes, blending thyme with sumac, sesame, and salt to create unique regional flavors.

For Palestinians, za’atar carries political meaning as well as nutritional value. It stands as a symbol of resilience and identity, widely cultivated in home gardens and farms despite land restrictions and economic hardships.

This story was produced as part of the Qarib program, implemented by the French Media Development Agency (CFI) in partnership with and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).

 

Share this news !

All rights reserved for Palestine News Network PNN © 2025

Designed and developed by Element Media