Israeli Authorities Order Demolition of Homes Housing 60 Residents in Tayibe and Qalansawe

Approximately ten families residing in the Israeli Arab towns of Tayibe and Qalansawe received demolition and eviction orders on Wednesday. The notices, issued by Israeli authorities and posted on the homes, cite "unlicensed construction" as the reason for the orders. The affected houses, located in the Tayibe plain adjacent to Qalansawe, have been standing for over 20 years and are home to around 60 individuals, including patients, children, women, and the elderly. The orders grant the families a maximum of 21 days to vacate their properties, which are situated on their private land.

Residents and popular committees in Tayibe and Qalansawe are organizing a protest on Friday at the first roundabout in Qalansawe to oppose the demolition orders and demand their suspension. Ali Al-Zubarka, a resident whose family has lived in the area for over two decades, described the orders as "unjust" and a violation of the basic human right to housing. He highlighted that two residents suffer from severe lung conditions and require regular dialysis, and all are now threatened with displacement.

Mariam Abu Matir, a mother of eight whose home is also slated for demolition, stated that her family has lived there for over 20 years, working and striving to live with dignity. She emphasized that they built their homes and purchased the land with their own labor and are still burdened by construction debts. Abu Matir noted that her children, including three doctors and three nurses, serve their community, and the family wishes to live with dignity in their home, not amidst its ruins.

Lawyer Shaker Balaoum, head of the Popular Committee in Tayibe, explained that the notices were affixed to homes in the western part of Tayibe's plain, bordering Qalansawe. He characterized the actions as a "systematic political campaign" by Israeli authorities, escalating from targeting agricultural buildings to residential homes. Balaoum suggested the timing is politically motivated, linked to upcoming Israeli elections, with the government attempting to gain votes at the expense of Arab citizens' rights. He vowed that the community would resist through popular and legal means.

Nihad Younis Khashab, a member of the Popular Committee in Qalansawe, echoed the sentiment, calling the orders "blatant injustice" and rejecting the expulsion of families who have lived there for two decades. He urged the municipality and relevant committees to find "real organizational solutions," stating that demolition is not a solution but destruction. The article also references previous related news about demolition threats and urban planning disputes in Tayibe.