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BIODIVERSITAS
ISSN: 1412-033X
Volume 18, Number 3, July 2017 E-ISSN: 2085-4722
Pages: 1047-1061 DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d180324
The current status of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and its uses in
the Gaza Strip, Palestine
ABDEL FATTAH N. ABD RABOU♥, EQBAL S. RADWAN
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Gaza. Gaza Strip, Palestine. ♥email: arabou@iugaza.edu.ps
Manuscript received: 20 May 2017. Revision accepted: 12 June 2017.
Abstract. Abd Rabou AN, Radwan ES. 2017. The current status of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and its uses in the Gaza Strip,
Palestine. Biodiversitas 18: 1047-1061. The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is considered one of the most important fruit crops in
Palestine. It has a major socio-economic importance due to its commercial, nutritional, environmental, social, health and religious
values. Because of its importance as a resistant and strategic crop facing serious local threats like pest infestation, underdeveloped
marketing and mismanagement, the current study comes to investigate the status of the date palm tree and its uses in the Gaza Strip.
Field surveys and institutional visits were applied to fulfill the purpose of the study. The current study revealed a total number of
250,000 trees of date palm existing in the Gaza Strip, with 40% of the dates is concentrated in the Middle Governorate. At least, 19
cultivars have been recorded locally with the ‘Hayani’, ‘Barhee’ and ’Bentaisha’ being the most common. The average date production
in the last few years was 12,000 - 15,000 ton per year. More than 40 industries and uses associated with the date palm tree have been
observed in the Gaza Strip, with the handicraft production and food industries are the main creative uses by the Palestinian community.
Finally, the study recommends the improvement of the processes of date palm cultivation, production, protection, and marketing. The
cooperation of different parties is very essential to ensure good sustainable development and uses of the date palm in the Gaza Strip,
Palestine.
Keywords: Date palm, cultivars, Hayani, public uses, Gaza Strip, Palestine
INTRODUCTION
Date palm has long been one of the most important fruit
crops in the arid regions of the Middle East and North
Africa (Chao and Krueger 2007). It is one of the oldest
trees from which man has derived benefits, and it has been
cultivated since ancient times (El-Juhany 2010). Today, the
date palm is found in both the old world and the new world
where dates are grown commercially in large quantities
(Zabar and Borowy 2012). The total world number of date
palms is about 120 million trees, distributed in 30 countries
and producing nearly 7.5 million tons of fruit per year
(FAO 2013). Arab countries account for 70% of the world's
date palms number and are responsible for 67% of the
global production of date palm (El-Juhany 2010). Date
palm has a major socio-economic importance not only for
its fruit but also as an ornamental plant (Morton 1987).
Dates are the main income source and staple food for local
populations in many countries in which they are cultivated,
and have played significant roles in the economy, social,
and environment of those countries (Saafi et al. 2008; Chao
and Krueger 2007). The date palm tree has a minimum
water demand and tolerates harsh weather and high levels
of salinity; in fact, it is more salt tolerant than any other
fruit crop (FAO 1982; Alhammadi and Kurup 2012).
Date palm cultivation in the Palestinian Territories
exists in the regions of Jericho and the Jordan Valley in the
West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, date palm cultivation is
mainly concentrated in the Middle and Southern
Governorates (Figure 1). Deir Al-Balah is well known for
growing date palms; with the ‘Hayani’ as the most
common cultivar. The Red Palm Weevil, RPW
(Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier) has recently become
one of the major date palm pests and causes severe losses
to farmers (Vidyasagar and Aldosari 2011).
Multi-purpose surveys regarding the date palm were
carried out in different countries worldwide. Special focus
was paid to the importance of date palm uses, cultivation,
pests, diseases, genotyping in addition to its cultivars
identification. Chao and Krueger (2007) highlighted the
biology, uses and cultivation of date palm in the U.S.A.
Studies on date palms in developing countries seemed to be
extensive and intensive. Many researchers evaluated the
date palm byproducts, while others focused on the effect of
certain physical conditions on the growth and yield of the
date palm (Alrasbi et al. 2010; Alhammadi and Kurup
2012; El-Hadrami and Al-Khayri 2012; Mahmoud and El-
Bana 2013). In addition, many studies concentrated on the
genetic variation and molecular characterization of some
date palm cultivars using various markers (Hamza et al.
2012; El Kichoui et al. 2013; Khierallah et al. 2014).
In Palestine, many surveys have been carried out to
highlight the status and perspective of the date palm. Abu-
Qaoud (1993, 2015) pointed out that the cultivation of the
date palm in Palestine is still below expectations, and the
high investment costs and the underdeveloped marketing
structures are the main constraints impeding date
production in Palestine. Ali-Shtayeh et al. (2000), Said et
al. (2002), Abu-Rabia (2005) and Ali-Shtayeh and Jamous
(2002 and 2006) conducted ethnobotanical and floristic
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1048
surveys in the Palestinian Territories and they focused on
the medicinal importance of many plant species including
the date palm. The Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem
(ARIJ) (2002) described different trees and shrubs
occurring in Palestine including the date palm, with focus
on their nutritional, economic, medicinal and fodder values.
To conserve the Palestinian floristic and agricultural plants,
Azaizeh et al. (2003) suggested a multilevel program
involving the training of local practitioners, an
establishment of a medicinal plant botanical garden and a
field gene bank.
In the Gaza Strip, work on floristic species including
the date palm is restricted to a few studies. Bolous (1959)
described as many as 251 floristic species including the
date palm and highlighted some aspects of their uses. Abd
Rabou (2005) and Abd Rabou et al. (2008) described 70
floristic species occurring in Wadi Gaza. They revealed
that the date palm has been used as a food source for
humans and many wildlife species. The date palm was
mentioned to be used in herbal medicine and in timber and
fuel production. Abou Auda (2010, 2011 and 2012) studied
plant ecology in the Gaza Strip and denoted the local
potential uses of date palm. Madi (2001 and 2005) and
Madi et al. (2002) described the various wild plants species
prevailing in the coastal sand dunes of the Gaza Strip with
the date palm included. Furthermore, Albanna and Eid
(2007), MOA (2010) and Qofa (2014) focused on the
industries, public uses and the ecological importance of the
date palm in the Gaza Strip. More recently, Al-Agha
(2016) and Radwan (2017) carried out comprehensive
works regarding the date palm sector in the Gaza Strip.
They revealed many threats facing the local cultivation of
date palms, which is more concentrated in the Middle
Governorate of the Gaza Strip. El Kichaoui et al. (2013)
described the genetic variation and molecular
characterization of six date palm cultivars in the Gaza
Strip. More recently, El-Hindi (2017) and El Kichaoui et al.
(2017) investigated the evaluation, isolation and molecular
identification of the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium
anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana against the RPW in the
Gaza Strip. They revealed that the use of these fungi can be
useful as a preventive and curative tool for the protection of
date palm tree. Due to its importance as a national and
strategic crop in Palestine, the current study investigates
the current status of the date palm tree and its uses in the
Gaza Strip.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study Area
The Gaza Strip is very populated (about 2.0 million)
with an area of about 365 km². It constitutes 1.35% of the
total area of Palestine (27,009 km2). It is located on the
eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea bordering Egypt on
the southwest for 11 km and the occupied Palestinian
Territories on the east and north for a 51 km (PCBS 2016).
The Gaza Strip area has a typical semi-arid Mediterranean
climate; hot in summer and cold in winter. The average
daily mean temperature ranges from 25ºC in summer to
13ºC in winter, with the average daily maximum
temperature range from 29ºC to 17ºC and the minimum
temperature range from 21ºC to 9ºC, in summer and winter
respectively. The daily relative humidity fluctuates
between 65% in daytime and 85% at night in summer and
between 60% and 80% respectively in winter (UNEP
2003).
Site and Institutional Visits
During the course of the current study, frequent visits
were carried out to different date palm fields in order to
investigate the current status of the date palm in the Gaza
Strip. Meetings and discussions with farmers and owners of
date palm orchards were of an utmost priority to fill the
gaps needed in data collection regarding the current status,
cultivars and uses of the date palm in the Gaza Strip.
Moreover, vital visits were carried out to the Ministry of
Agriculture (MOA), Earth and Human Center for Research
and Studies (EHCRS), Al-Ahlyah Association for the
Development of Date Palm (ASDPD) and Palestinian Al-
Nakheel Association for Progress and Development
(PNAPD). A set of close and open-ended questions were
developed and used during the structured and semi-
structured interviews conducted.
Figure 2. The geographic distribution of date palm cultivation in
the Gaza Strip, Palestine
ABD RABOU & RADWAN – Current status of the date palm in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
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Photography and data analysis
A professional digital camera was used to take photos
regarding the aspects related and needed to the date palm
sector in the Gaza Strip. The data collected throughout the
course of the study was statistically analyzed using SPSS
computer program version 18.0 for Windows (Statistical
Package for Social Sciences Inc, Chicago, Illinois). Graphs
were plotted using Microsoft Excel program 2010.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Distribution of the date palm in the Gaza Strip
Date palm cultivation is historic in Palestine including
the Gaza Strip. According to current estimates of MOA, a
total number of 250,000 date palm trees are found in the
Gaza Strip (Table 1), of which about two-thirds (67%) are
fruit trees. In spite of its cultivation in the whole Gaza
Strip, date palm cultivation is more concentrated in the
Middle Governorate (100,000 = 40.0%) as well as in Khan
Younis (85,000 = 34.0%). With regard to the age of the
date palm trees, the survey pointed out that 20,000 trees are
less than ten years old, and the rest 230,000 had ages
exceeding 10 years old. Of this figure, thousands of the
trees were stated to exceed 100 years old.
Date palm cultivars grown in the Gaza Strip
At least nineteen date palm cultivars were recorded in
the Gaza Strip. These cultivars can be identified by their
fruit appearance and texture. They fall into three types:
soft, semi-dry, and dry. The recorded cultivars are
‘Hayani’, ‘Barhee’, ‘Bentaisha’, ‘Ameri’, ‘Dairy’,
‘Degani’, ‘Hilali’, ‘Halawy’, ‘Hatmi’, ‘Jabri’, ‘Khanaizi’,
‘Khalas’, ‘Khasab’, ‘Lulu’, ‘Muktomi’, ‘Medjool’,
‘Sukkari’, ‘Zahidi’ and ‘Zaghlool’ (Figures 2 and 3). The
numbers and percentages of these cultivars are illustrated in
Table 2.
Production of the date palm in the Gaza Strip
The total harvested area of the date palm in the Gaza
Strip is about 8500 acres (Acre = 10,000 m2). The average
date or Balah production in the last few years was
estimated to be 12,000 -15,000 tons per year (Table 3). The
average production per tree is 100 -150 kg, but according
to personal communications with the MOA, ASDPD,
PNAPD and EHCRS, the average production per tree may
reach 400 kg depending on certain physical conditions such
as irrigation, lighting amounts, temperature, humidity,
wind, etc.
Industries associated with date palm
The current study documented 44 industries based on
date palm products in the Gaza Strip; of which 16 were
food industries, and the remainder represented other
industries. Handicrafts were the most industries applied
locally using the different parts of the date palm tree. These
industries are categorized as follows:
Table 1. The number of the date palm trees in Governorates of
the Gaza Strip (MOA 2016)
Governorate No. of the date
palm trees Percentage (%)
Rafah 28,000 11.2
Khan Younis 85,000 34.0
Middle 100,000 40.0
Gaza 17,000 6.8
North Gaza 20,000 8.0
Total 250,000 100
Table 2. The number of tree for each cultivar (MOA 2016)
Cultivars Number of trees Percentage (%)
Hayani 210,000 84
Bentaisha 25,000 10
Barhee 10,000 4
Other Cultivars 5,000 2
Total 250,000 100
Table 3. Quantity of date palm or Balah production in the Gaza
Strip in 2016 (MOA 2016)
Governorate Quantity of
Production (ton) Percentage (%)
Rafah 1,680 11.2
Khan Younis 5,100 34.0
Middle Governorate 6,000 40.0
Gaza 1,020 6.80
North Gaza 1,200 8.00
Total 15,000 100
Food industries
Biscuits, pies and pastries production: Some
Palestinian women are fond in preparing some types of
biscuits and pastries filled with dates or Ajwa (a soft paste
made of dates) instead of using chocolate. These home or
sometimes factory products are very delicious and they are
commonly eaten with hot or cold drinks such as tea, coffee,
cola and juice. The Palestinians often offer these foods for
special occasions such as holidays, birthday parties, feasts,
engagements and weddings (Figure 4A).
Dates pone: In spite of its rarity, this type of pone is
commonly eaten by people who want to reduce their
weight. The pone helps in slimming health because of its
high nutritional value. Some people consider it a substitute
for ordinary bread. It can be offered to guests with tea or
coffee (Figure 4B).
Date chocolate and Tamreya industry: Many women
prefer eating date chocolates or Tamreya (a special snack
made of dates) with hot drinks such as coffee. Recently, it
becomes one of the most hospitality sweet that are offered
to visitors and guests (Figure 4C).
Date salad: It is sometimes prepared during the fasting
month of Ramadan. It very delicious especially when some
vegetables and fruits such as lettuce, watercress,
mushroom, and apples are added (Figure 4D).
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Balah jam: The production of the balah jam depends
on using fresh dates rather than rutab. It is a tasty food
commonly consumed by the Palestinians year round;
especially in the fasting month of Ramadan (Figure 4E).
Date powder: This powder is used for both medicinal
and nutritional purposes. Some women mix date powder
with oil in order to paint their hair (Figure 4F).
Molasses production: It is a thick sugar liquid
produced from certain varieties of dates. It consists of
sugary material which constitutes 85% of the dry weight.
Molasses is produced by using old, primitive and manual
modes (Figure 4G).
Qatayif production: The Qatayif, which is a special
dessert commonly served during the fasting month of
Ramadan, is a very common traditional industry in the
Palestinian society. Sometimes, instead of nuts and other
filling material, Qatayif is filled with dates or Ajwa (Figure
4H).
Ajwa industry: Ajwa, which is a soft paste made of
dates, is a very common industry in the Gaza Strip;
particularly Deir Al-Balah. It is made from the rutab phase
of fruits. Sometimes, the Ajwa may contain seeds or is
blended with sesame, anise, hazelnuts and walnuts. One ton
of Ajwa requires at least 3 tons of rutab dates (Figure 5A).
Fresh date or balah consumption: Dates are
considered one of the most important fruits in the
Palestinian society; especially in the fasting month of
Ramadan. They are very delicious and it is commonly
eaten with hot or cold drinks such as tea, coffee, cola and
juice (Figure 5B).
Figure 2: Main cultivars of the date palm in the Gaza Strip: (A) and (B) ‘Barhee’, (C) and (D) ‘Hayani’
D
C
B
A
ABD RABOU & RADWAN – Current status of the date palm in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
1051
Figure 3. Minor cultivars of the date palm grown in the Gaza Strip: (A) and (C) ‘Ameri’, (B) and (D) ‘Halawy’, (E) ‘Medjool’
Coffee industry: This type of coffee is commonly
prepared by grinding the date seeds after being washed and
dried. It contains no caffeine, does not cause acidity and
helps to get rid of excess weight (Figure 5C).
Beverages industry: These drinks are easy to prepare.
Doctors often advise women to prepare it for children due
to its importance in strengthening the body, treating anemia
and preventing nerve disorders (Figure 5D).
E
D
C
B
A
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Figure 4. Food industries associated with date palm: (A) Pies and pastries production, (B) Dates pone, (C) Date chocolate
and tamreya industry, (D) Date salad, (E) Balah jam, (F) Date powder, (G) Molasses production, (H) Qatayif production
F
D
B
H
C
E
G
A
ABD RABOU & RADWAN – Current status of the date palm in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
1053
Figure 5: Food industries associated with date palm: (A) Ajwa industry, (B) Fresh date or balah consumption, (C) Coffee industry, (D)
Beverages industry, (E) Date packing and processing, (F) Date cake, (G) Balah pickle, (H) Eid cake
D
C
A B
H G
F
E
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Date packing and processing: Here, dates are usually
washed off, dried and then packaged in bags made of
nylon, cartoon bottles or transparent plastic containers.
Finally, these bags are compressed and stored in suitable
places (Figure 5E).
Date cake: This is very delicious and rich in calories.
The cake consists of flour, sugar, dates, walnuts, almonds
and chocolate pieces commonly offered to guests with
several sauces such as toffee sauce on many occasions
(Figure 5F).
Balah pickle: This product is similar to olive, egg-
white and cucumber pickles. It has a pungent acid taste.
The aim of the balah or date pickle production is to search
an alternative use of dates (Figure 5G).
Eid cake: During the two Eids (feasts) of Muslims, the
Palestinians used to make the Eid cake, which mostly
depends on the use of Ajwa as a filling material (Figure
5H).
Handicrafts
Picture frames: These frames are commonly made of
various parts of the date palm tree especially the fronds. In
some cases, these fronds are pigmented with different
colors to give an aesthetically pleasing look (Figure 6A).
Use of fronds as a signal of grave or consolation
place: It is an inherited practice in the Palestinian
community to place the fronds of the date palm tree on the
top of graves, or in streets as a sign indicating that a
consolation is present in a near place (Figure 6B).
Vases industry: Vases are decorative pieces designed
to make everyday life more happy and creative. These
vases are usually filled with roses and flowers and then
placed on the dining tables or at the shelves to give a
beautiful look (Figure 6C).
Mat industry: Mats have a great history in Palestine.
They are manufactured in large quantities due to their high
demand especially in winter. Gazans use mats to cover the
floor in order to give a beautiful look to furnished rooms
(Figure 6D).
Baskets and bowls industry: It is one of the most
famous traditional industries. It is easy to prepare, where
women braid fronds to make baskets, dishes and large
vessels in order to keep clothes, bread, vegetables, fruits
…etc (Figure 6E).
Furniture industry: The manufacture of beds,
cabinets, chairs, tables and shelves is common in the Gaza
Strip. These tools are characterized by their cheapness,
resistance to weather conditions, beauty, relation to the
Palestinian heritage and attractiveness to Arab and foreign
tourists (Figure 6F).
Mattress and pillow industry: This industry depends
on filling of cloth bags with fibers of a date palm tree. They
are sometimes found in heritage parks and restaurants
(Figure 6G).
Chandelier industry: The fronds can be used in
chandelier preparation. Sometimes, Gazans package the
chandelier with a piece of braided frond to give it a
beautiful look (Figure 6H).
Salver industry: Such a salver (seving tray) is used to
offer foods and drinks. It is characterized by resistance to
damage, durability, cheapness and attractiveness. It reflects
some sort of the Palestinian heritage (Figure 7A).
Bibelots industry: It is a trinket or an art piece that has
historic, aesthetic and artistic values. It is one of the rare
and precious things for the community which is used to
decorate rooms (Figure 7B).
Bags industry: The bags are made with different
shapes, sizes, colors and decorations. Many women are
attracted to buy these bags because of their lower prices
and durability (Figure 7C).
Tissues can industry: These cans have different
shapes, sizes, and colors. They are characterized by their
durability and long life (Figure 7D).
Luffa industry: The fibers of palm trunks are rarely
used to produce luffa. Doctors sometimes recommend
patients and people to use these fibers because they are
good cleaner of the human body as they protect it from skin
diseases (Figure 7E).
Cans industry: These cans are commonly used by the
Palestinians to keep special papers, needles, threads,
accessories, cosmetics or decorations. They are sometimes
used to harbor sweets and chocolates in special occasions
such as holidays and feasts (Figure 7F).
Hats industry: It is a common industry in the
Palestinian society. They are available year round with low
prices and different sizes, shapes and colors. Some women
wear them in events such as weddings (Figure 7G).
Broom industry: Brooms are made of fronds or fibers
of palm and are used by women to clean walls, houses,
rooms and gardens especially in rural areas. Small brushes,
produced from fibers, are used in cleaning small things like
stairs and shoes (Figure 7H).
Bird and fruit cages industry: This industry is often
located near commercial fruit, vegetable and bird markets
in order to be used in packaging and export. It is an eco-
friendly industry trying to preserve the environment from
the accumulation of palm wastes. This industry contributes
to the improvement of the standard of living of individuals
(Figure 7I).
Border of parks and fields: Some agricultural fields
and orchards of the Gaza Strip are fenced with palm fronds.
The fronds are commonly arranged in orderly lines around
the fields. They are favored because of their low price and
attractiveness (Figure 7J).
Decorations made of palm trunks in resorts and
restaurants: Some people use the trunks of the palm tree
to decorate their homes, resorts and restaurants. They are
usually placed as ornamental columns rather than structural
columns (Figure 8A).
Pergola industry: Seashore pergolas are common in
the Gaza Strip. They are often made of leaves and trunks of
palm trees. The internal environment inside these pergolas
is cooler than the outside (Figure 8B).
Tables made from palm trunks: Pieces of trunks of
palm have been used by locals as tables in some shore
parks and chalets (Figure 8C).
ABD RABOU & RADWAN – Current status of the date palm in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
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Figure 6. Handicrafts associated with date palm: (A) Picture frames, (B) Use of fronds as a signal of grave or consolation place, (C)
Vases industry, (D) Mat industry, (E) Baskets and bowls industry, (F) Furniture industry, (G) Mattress and pillow industry, (H)
Chandelier industry
D
C
A B
H
G
E F
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Figure 7. Handicrafts associated with date palm: (A) Salver industry, (B) Bibelots industry, (C) Bags industry , (D) Tissues can
industry, (E) Luffa industry, (F) Cans industry, (G) Hats industry, (H) Broom industry, (I) Bird and fruit cages industry, (J) Border of
parks and fields
A B
H
J
I
G
E
A
C D
F
ABD RABOU & RADWAN – Current status of the date palm in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
1057
Figure 8: Public uses associated with date palm: (A) Decors made of palm trunks in resorts and restaurants, (B) Pergola industry, (C)
Tables made from palm trunks, (D) Ceilings industry.
Figure 9: Cultivation of date palm tree in public parks and green spaces
D
B
C
A
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Figure 10: Other industries associated with date palm: (A) Coal industry, (B) Ropes and strings industry, (C) Animal fodder production,
(D) Use pollen in folk medicine, (E) Organic fertilizer production, (F) Eyeliner production
Ceilings industry: Since ancient times, palm trunks
have been used as beams to bear ceilings made of palm
fronds (Figure 8D).
Cultivation of date palm tree in public parks and
green spaces: Date Palm trees have a geometric and
beautiful landscape appearance. They are commonly
planted in public parks and green spaces. From an
ecological point of view, palms are known to act as
windbreaks, moderate temperature, raise relative humidity,
stabilize soils and dunes and combat desertification (Figure
9).
D C
A B
F E
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Other industries based on the residues of date palm
Eyeliner and coal industry from seeds: The seeds of
dates are collected and exposed to the sun, washed well,
crushed and finally used as eyeliner. The seeds are
sometimes used in the production of coal (Figure 10A and
F).
Ropes and strings industry: The fibers of date palm
tree may be used in the production of strings and ropes
(Figure 10B).
Animal fodder production: Many palm residues, e.g.
fibers, seeds and fronds are sometimes involved in the
production of the animal fodder or feed. A machine has
been designed especially to chop, grind and turn palm
residues into animal fodder (Figure 10C).
The use of pollen in folk medicine: The pollen of the
palm tree is used by some Palestinians for therapeutic
purposes. It is medicinally used in order to strengthen the
bones, protect against fragility and aid digestion. Moreover,
it helps in treating inflammatory bowel and stomach ulcers
and in stopping bleeding (Figure 10D).
Organic fertilizer production: Some palm residues
have been used locally in the fertilizer industry as humus to
supply agricultural plants with beneficial nutrients. It is
considered a safe and a good alternative to chemical
fertilizers that have pose harmful impacts on plants and the
environment (Figure 10E).
Discussion
The strategic position of Palestine at the terrestrial
meeting point between Asia, Europe, and Africa facilitates
the interaction and spread of various plant species
including the date palm. The Gaza Strip, which is located
in the southern portion of the Palestine coast along the
Mediterranean Sea is an arid to semi-arid land, harboring
vast areas cultivated with different cultivars of date palm
trees that attract a variety of wildlife species, especially
birds (Abd Rabou 2005 and Abd Rabou et al. 2008). The
present survey revealed that a total number of 250,000 date
palm trees existing in the Gaza Strip, particularly in the
Middle Governorate. This finding coincides with that of
Abu-Qaoud (2015) who confirmed an intensive and
extensive cultivation of date palms in the cities of Deir Al-
Balah and Khan Younis. Date palm cultivation has been
practiced in the Gaza Strip since ancient times. The least
occurrence of the date palm trees in the Gaza Governorate
could be attributed to its political, residential, commercial
and economic status. It is actually the capital of the Gaza
Strip that is separated geographically from the West Bank.
Water shortage and high salinity levels of water in most
Gaza Governorates encouraged farmers to grow date palm
trees as halophytic plants that tolerate high levels of
salinity (Al Hammadi 2006; Yaish and Kumar 2015).
According to FAO (1982), the date palm is more salt
tolerant than any other fruit crop.
The 19 cultivars of date palm grown in the Gaza Strip
are very difficult to be distinguished by morphology as was
indicated by El Kichaoui et al. (2013). They are mostly
distinguished by the characters of the fruits, produced only
after 4-5 years as indicated by Sedra et al. (1998). It is
obvious that the different climatic factors are considered as
limiting factors for the growth and development of certain
cultivars in the Gaza Strip. For example, Abu-Qaoud
(2015) reported that the climate in the Ghor Region of
Palestine, where temperatures range from 12°C in March
up to 50°C between July and October, is considered ideal
for Medjool date production, which requires hot and dry
weather. The climatic conditions of the Gaza Strip are not
ideal for growth and development of this cultivar. The local
climatic conditions are more suitable for producing of soft
cultivars of the date palm such as Barhee and Hayani.
Similar results were reported by both El-Kichaoui1 et al.
(2013) and Qofa (2014), who mentioned that the Hayani,
Bentaisha, Barhee and Ameri cultivars are the most famous
in the Gaza Strip.
The production of date palm in the Gaza Strip is
relatively not stable since decades. El-Juhany (2010), Qofa
(2014) and Abu-Qaoud (2015) mentioned more or less
similar fluctuations because of reduction in local demands,
weakness of post-harvest infrastructure, marketing
difficulties and the shift adopted by farmers to plant other
cash crops.
The use of the different parts of the date palm tree in
producing a variety of foods and handicrafts are common
industries in the Gaza Strip and the other Palestinian
territories. Palestinian women are skillful in such industries
which reflect a heritage inherited over centuries. Such uses
were confirmed by other local researchers who pointed out
that an increase in demand for date palm products will lead
to an increase in employment and income of poorer
families (Albanna and Eid 2007; MOA 2010; Qofa 2014;
Abu-Qaoud 2015). In spite of that, local date palm products
do not receive the interest, attention, and support of the
responsible authorities and NGOs. Such ignorance may
lead to the reluctance of many people to continue in such
production. Other non-Palestinian studies pointed out that
the date palm over centuries has provided a large number
of products and traditional uses which have been
extensively used by the people in all aspects of daily life
such as the production of baskets, bowls, broom, ceilings,
etc. (Barreveld: 1993; Hasan et al. 2006; Al-Khalifah and
Shanavaskhan 2012; Johnson 2012 and Boufennara et al.
2016). Food industries depending on date palms are of
great importance to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who
are living under blockades imposed by the Israeli Army
since 2006. Of course, such food industries need support
and respect from the governmental and non-governmental
organizations and agencies in order to continue locally
where a great percentage of the Gazans suffers from
poverty and unemployment. In their studies, Al-Shahib and
Marshall (2003), Hasan et al. (2006), and Al-Orf et al.
(2012) pointed out that the date fruits are of high nutritional
value because they are considered as a good source of
sugars, minerals, and vitamins. The syrup, jams, ice cream,
baby foods and soft drinks produced from date palms are of
great demand in the Arab markets. They improve the level
of standard living, increase the percentage of employment
and require modest equipment and tools.
BIODIVERSITAS
18 (3): 1047-1061, July 2017
1060
Finally, the study recommends the improvement of the
processes of date palm cultivation, production, protection,
and marketing. Moreover, the cooperation of different
parties locally, regionally and internationally is essential to
ensure a sustainable development of this vital sector in the
economy of the Gaza Strip.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank the staffs of Ministry of
Agriculture (MOA), Earth and Human Center for Research
and Study (EHCRS), Palestinian Al-Nakheel Association
for Progress and Development (PNAPD), Al-Ahlyah
Association for the Development of Date Palm (ASDPD)
along with Gazan farmers, date orchards owners and
normal people who spared no effort in supporting and
enriching the current study with the information, critical
discussions and comments needed throughout the
succeeding stages of the current study.
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