Tayibe Municipality Holds Emergency Meeting Over Homes Facing Demolition

The Tayibe municipality held an emergency meeting Wednesday evening to address the imminent demolition of dozens of homes in the city's western area, including properties belonging to the Abu Hajjaj family and others. These homes are located near the city of Qalqilya, on land within Tayibe's jurisdiction. The meeting was prompted by warnings that demolition orders could be executed within weeks, as authorities scramble to find legal and planning solutions to halt the demolitions and protect homeowners.

During the session, available legal and professional avenues were reviewed, alongside potential actions by relevant authorities to preserve the homes and their owners' rights. Tayibe Mayor Yahya Haj Yahya pledged the municipality's full support, vowing to utilize its professional, engineering, and legal teams to work towards a resolution.

Former Tayibe Mayor Shu'aa Masarwa Mansour had previously warned that the "national demolition unit" had distributed demolition notices for an entire neighborhood in the western area, adjacent to Qalqilya, with demolitions expected within 21 days. He described the affected area as the "Abu Hajjaj family neighborhood" and criticized the local authority for insufficient assistance to the residents, stating that a city without a vision for development and planning solutions is destined for destruction.

Mayor Haj Yahya linked the resolution of planning issues in the western area to a broader regional plan that the municipality has recently advanced. He noted that the municipal council voted to submit the western area plan to the District Planning and Building Commission after years of delay. This plan, covering approximately 1,340 dunams, includes around 9,000 housing units, 150,000 square meters for commerce and employment, a park, public spaces, and infrastructure. The mayor anticipates final approval within months, which would enable the issuance of building permits and strategically protect Tayibe's lands from other national plans.

The situation in Tayibe reflects a wider planning and building crisis in Arab towns, where homes face demolition due to a lack of approved master plans, hindering legal building permits. While the municipality is pushing for a long-term planning framework, homeowners face the immediate threat of demolition before these plans are finalized. The outcome hinges on legal and planning actions taken by the municipality and homeowners before the relevant authorities and the progress of the proposed western area plan.