Palestinian Medjool Dates: Where They're Grown and How to Buy Them

Palestinian Medjool dates are grown mainly around Jericho and in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, where Medjool is a major date variety. To check where any box of dates was grown, read the country of origin on the label rather than relying on a brand name, a picture or a place name. This guide explains both, then introduces the Palestinian Medjool, olive oil, za’atar, freekeh and sage we deliver across the UK.

Where are Palestinian Medjool dates grown?

In Palestine, date palms are grown in the regions of Jericho and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, and in the Gaza Strip. A chapter on Palestine in the Springer reference work Date Palm Genetic Resources and Utilization (2015), by Hassan Abu-Qaoud of An-Najah National University, names Medjool as a major variety in the West Bank and Hayany as a major variety in Gaza.

Jericho lies in the Jordan River valley about 11km north of the Dead Sea, and bananas, dates and oranges are grown there, according to Britannica. The Jordan Valley is a dry rift valley that follows the River Jordan from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, where it falls to more than 430 metres below sea level. Its irrigated farmland accounts for most of the West Bank’s agriculture.

Medjool itself originally comes from Morocco. For the variety’s history, how it compares with other dates and how to pick good ones, see our Medjool dates guide.

How to check where your dates come from

Medjool is now grown commercially in several countries, including the United States, Mexico, Israel, Jordan and Palestine, so the pack is the place to check. GOV.UK’s food labelling guidance lists fruit and vegetables, olive oil and honey among the foods that must show their country or place of origin. It says origin must also be shown if customers might otherwise be misled, for example by a pizza label showing the Leaning Tower of Pisa when the pizza is made in the UK. On any pack of dates, check:

• The origin line: wording such as “Origin”, “Country of origin”, “Produce of” or “Product of”, followed by a place.
• Not the pictures or place names: a brand name, picture or region is not a country of origin. The Jordan Valley runs along Jordan’s western border with Israel and the West Bank, so “Jordan Valley” alone doesn’t tell you where the dates were grown.
• Not the barcode: GS1, the global barcode standards organisation, says its prefixes “do not identify the country of origin for a given product”. They show which national GS1 organisation issued the number.
• The name and address: this is the business the food is marketed under or the business that imported it. For imported dates, it may be a UK company rather than the grower.
• Stuffed dates and date paste: if the primary ingredient comes from somewhere different from where the label says the product was made, the label must show this.

Buying online? Look for the origin on the product page, and ask the seller if it isn’t shown.

Our Palestinian Medjool dates

• Al-Quds Palestinian Medjool Dates: Delight grade, large, plump and deep amber-brown, with a very soft, moist texture and a rich caramel-toffee sweetness. These whole dates, with the stone in, come in 450g or 900g gift boxes, or 3kg and 5kg cartons for Ramadan, Eid and events (see our Ramadan 2027 guide).
• Madina stuffed Medjool gift boxes: Palestinian Medjool filled with nuts, in 250g or 400g gift boxes. Choose from the almond box (a whole almond in each pitted date), the walnut box or the walnut and almond box. The Medjool in the almond box and the walnut box are grown in the Jordan Valley around Jericho. Every date is filled with nuts, so they are not suitable for anyone with a tree nut allergy.

We also sell Madina Medjool Date Paste 700g, a thick, smooth paste made from Medjool dates, in Plain or Sesame (the sesame version contains sesame). Use it for maamoul fillings, flapjacks and porridge; our date paste guide has more ideas. As with any date product, check the tub for the country of origin.

How to store Medjool dates

Keep Medjool in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, or in the fridge for longer freshness, and follow the storage advice and best-before date on the pack. They can also be frozen: take out as many as you need and let them come to room temperature.

Palestinian olive oil, za’atar, freekeh and more

• Al Quds Palestinian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (250ml or 500ml): extra virgin olive oil from Palestine in dark glass bottles, with a fresh, fruity flavour and a gentle peppery finish. How to use: drizzle over hummus, labneh and salads, dip warm bread in it before the za’atar, or use it for everyday cooking.
• Madina Palestinian Za’atar (150g, 300g or 600g; the larger sizes arrive as 150g pouches): a traditional Palestinian za’atar of dried thyme blended with sunflower oil, spices and salt. How to use: dip warm bread in olive oil, then in za’atar, or mix about 3 tablespoons with 5–6 tablespoons of olive oil, spread it over dough and bake into manakish. It may contain gluten, nuts and soya, so check the pack if you have an allergy. More in our guide to what za’atar is.
• Al’Ard Palestinian Green Freekeh 450g: young green wheat that is flame-roasted, rubbed, dried and crushed, the traditional way freekeh is made in Palestine, which gives it a smoky flavour. How to use: cook it like rice or bulgur and use it in pilafs, soups, stuffings and salads. It is wheat, so it contains gluten.
• Al’Ard Palestinian Dried Sage (Maramia) 100g: dried sage leaves from the hills of Palestine, hand-harvested and sun-dried. Al’Ard describes them as the Mediterranean Salvia fruticosa, smoother and less bitter than common garden sage. How to use: add 2–3 leaves to the pot while black tea brews, the classic Palestinian way, or a leaf or two to soups and stews.
• Al’Ard Nabulsi Olive Oil Soap Bar 150g: a traditional Nabulsi soap, handmade with olive oil using methods passed down in Nablus. In 2024 UNESCO added the tradition of Nabulsi soap making in Palestine to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; it describes a hand-crafted soap of olive oil, water and lye. Use it on hands, face and body, avoiding the eyes, and let it dry between uses.

Our Palestinian range at a glance

We deliver across the UK only. Standard delivery usually takes 3–5 working days and Express 1–2 working days from dispatch (working days are Monday to Saturday, excluding UK bank holidays), and delivery is free on orders over £45. See our delivery information.

Frequently asked questions

Where do supermarket Medjool dates come from?

It depends on the supplier. Medjool originally came from Morocco and is now grown commercially in several countries, including the United States, Mexico, Israel, Jordan and Palestine. The country of origin on the pack tells you where a particular box was grown, so check that rather than the brand name, pictures or barcode.

How can I tell if dates are Palestinian?

Read the country of origin on the label. A brand name, flag, picture or barcode doesn’t prove where dates were grown, and the name and address on the pack belong to the brand or importer, not necessarily the grower. Our Al-Quds Medjool and all three Madina stuffed Medjool gift boxes are Palestinian Medjool, and the Medjool in the almond box and the walnut box are grown in the Jordan Valley around Jericho.

Are Jericho dates and Jordan Valley dates the same?

Not always. Jericho is in the Jordan River valley of the West Bank, about 11km north of the Dead Sea, so dates from Jericho are Jordan Valley dates. But the valley runs along Jordan’s western border with Israel and the West Bank, so “Jordan Valley” on a pack could mean more than one country. Check the country of origin line as well as any region named.

How do you cook freekeh?

Cook it much like rice or bulgur. As a general guide for our crushed green freekeh, bring it to the boil in about 2½ cups of water or stock per cup of freekeh, cover and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until tender, then leave it covered for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork. Cooking times vary with grain size, so the pack instructions come first. Freekeh is wheat, so it contains gluten.

What is maramia tea?

Maramia (also written meramieh or maramiya) is the Arabic name for sage, a favourite addition to tea in Palestine. For shay bil maramiya, add 2–3 dried leaves to the pot while black tea brews. For sage tea on its own, pour about 250ml of just-boiled water over 3–5 leaves, leave for 3–5 minutes and strain, then sweeten with sugar or honey if you like.