Tubas Municipality's Initiatives in the Face of Israel’s Systematic Aggression

Prepared by: Tubas Municipality

The Tubas city faces multiple existential challenges. It is the target of a systematic campaign tailored to destroy its social and economic fabric, fully damage its infrastructure, and to form a crippling economic crisis that has further deteriorated due to the ongoing Israeli aggression. Constituting the lung of Tubas, the Northern Jordan Valley has been affected by racist settlement policies, which aim at displacing Palestinian residents and seizing their land. 

While recent months have brought unprecedented difficulties, the Tubas Municipality has emerged as a key pillar to support citizens. Going beyond administrative tasks, it has shown an extraordinary level of commitment and responsibility for supporting the local community, ensuring the continuity of basic services and fulfilling multiple community needs at this distressing time. In view of the recurrent targeting of the city’s infrastructure and intensifying economic pressure on residents, the municipality has responded by implementing strategic actions. These were not only designed to tackle the destruction caused by the Israeli occupying forces (IOF), but also to strengthen community resilience in the face of ongoing adversity. 

Establishing an emergency council

One of the most notable steps taken to counter the impact of IOF aggression was the emergency council established by the Tubas Municipality. In addition to community activists, membership on the council includes representatives of the municipality, private sector and civil society organizations. By this, the municipality seeks to promote resilience of and protect citizens in hardship due to the IOF destruction of infrastructure, closure of cities and villages, and settler attacks on land and national resources. 

Providing shelter and aid to Gaza workers

Local government units (LGUs) received Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip, who had been employed inside the Green Line at the time the latest war was launched, but prevented from returning to Gaza. In cooperation with official, community and popular institutions, the Tubas Municipality provided shelter, food and water to these workers. It also worked jointly with senior businessmen, farmers and merchants to provide employment opportunities to a large number of workers. This highlighted the municipality’s commitment to boost inclusive and sustainable economic growth and provide employment and decent work for all. 

Supporting households in need and providing basic services 

Under the siege and closure, many Palestinian households have faced a severe economic crisis, rendering them unable to provide for their essential needs. Under these harsh circumstances, in cooperation with the electricity and water companies, the Tubas Municipality provided cash and in-kind support to these households. Support included recharging prepaid electricity and water meters on credit for humble families, workers who lost their jobs, and employees who earned partial salaries. Based on its community responsibility, the municipality provided free electricity and water supplies to poor families. To sustain this effort, it raised funds from benefactors to support this vulnerable group. This human act reflects the municipality’s commitment to support vulnerable groups and achieve social justice in society. 

Establishing a community committee: Restoring and repairing damaged homes and shops 

Like other Palestinian cities, Tubas was targeted by Israeli attacks which resulted in extensive destruction to homes and shops. In response, the municipality created a community committee to mobilize official and popular support to reconstruct what was destroyed by the aggression. Thanks to the committee’s efforts, the city managed to restore and repair all damaged buildings. Not only did this bring life back to normalcy, but it also promoted citizens’ resilience and communicated to the world the message that Palestinians are capable of reconstruction and perseverance in the face of challenges. 

Infrastructure maintenance 

Municipal efforts were not limited to home and shop restoration, but also extended to include maintenance of streets, sidewalks, and public facilities which were sabotaged by the IOF. This active work was necessary to restore normality and facilitate traffic in the city. More broadly, the municipality coordinated with the private sector and relevant ministries to provide heavy machinery to eliminate the consequences of aggression and rehabilitate infrastructure in neighbouring communities, including Al-Far’a, Tayasir, Jenin city and Jenin refugee camp. These efforts were needed to restore life in areas that sustained widespread destruction. 

Providing emergency aid and food supplies

In view of the scale of destruction caused by the Israeli aggression, the Tubas Municipality recognized the pressing need to provide humanitarian support to affected households, which lost their income sources. Guided by this awareness, the municipality took the initiative to distribute food parcels and urgent aid to workers who lost their jobs, poor families, people with disabilities, and the elderly. This vital initiative contributed to alleviating the suffering of these groups, ensuring that they have access to essential needs in the difficult conditions experienced by the city. 

Rehabilitating roads 

To cope with recurrent road closures and military checkpoints, in cooperation with the local community and private sector, the Tubas Municipality initiated the restoration and development of the Tubas-Salhab-Ibziq-Bardala road. Serving as a lifeline for residents, this vital road was particularly necessary after the Tayasir and Al-Hamra checkpoints had been closed. The municipality managed to rehabilitate this road to ensure accessibility and meet the population’s socioeconomic needs. 

Participating in international protests 

In conjunction with local efforts, the Tubas Municipality participated in the international solidarity movement. The mayor and municipal council members took part in demonstrations and sit-in protests against Israeli massacres in London and other British cities. Aiming to raise awareness of the atrocities against Palestinians, this engagement was part of a broader effort to strengthen international relations and mobilize global support to the Palestinian cause. 

By these integrated initiatives, the municipality has demonstrated its firm commitment to protect and support the local community in the face of the aggression, fulfil emerging needs, and lay the ground for a more resilient and flexible community.