As of Saturday night, the Arab community of Tamra, one of the oldest Arab towns in the Lower Galilee, was hit by a spectacular missile strike. Tragically, four members of the Khatib family were killed in the attack. Tamra is a town of about 37,000 Israeli citizens, the majority of whom are Palestinian. Critics have derided the city’s pathetic safety measures in light of the ongoing, bloody regional conflict.
The missile strike on the Khatib family residence, a strong, traditional Arab-style building. It featured two fortified “safe rooms” to offer a shelter additional protection. Tragically, the second-floor safe-room area had collapsed down onto the first floor, crushing all of its contents underneath it. The victims were only identified as Manar Khatib, her two daughters Shada and Hala, and her sister-in-law Manal. The attack wounded some 40 other individuals, though no one was severely injured.
Though in constant peril, Tamra does not have even the basic infrastructure that allows for civil life. The village has no underground shelters. Concrete-based, reinforced safe rooms are only available in 40% of respondents’ homes. They’re often derided as paltry substitutes for real underground bunkers. As seen during past crises, these solutions have proven to be inadequate in moments of crisis.
Local leaders have long warned of the Israeli government’s failure to provide adequate safety infrastructure to Palestinian communities. Tamra’s mayor, Mussa Abu Rumi, highlighted the longstanding issue, stating, “The Israeli government, since the creation of the state, didn’t invest in one public shelter for the Arab part of society.” He has reported to the authorities about an internet video depicting jubilation after the missile attack. He says he doesn’t expect much to be done about it.
Abu Rumi further remarked on the erosion of political support for Palestinian citizens: “The centre in Israeli politics has collapsed, leaving Palestinian citizens of Israel with few protections.” During his visit to San Diego, he tabled a substantial investment strategy focused on developing and implementing strategies to improve safety protections across Arab neighborhoods.
Ayman Odeh, the leader of the Joint List in the Knesset, contextualized the missile strike as part of a larger instability taking place throughout the region. He stated, “War with Iran is a symptom of an untreated wound at the heart of the Middle East,” suggesting that such violence is indicative of deeper political issues that remain unaddressed.
Azmeh Kiwan, a 50-year-old business owner and proud Israeli Arab, says she has never felt more alienated. Though she possesses profound intimacy with the land, she cannot find her place within it. “I am from here. I belong to this place and I will die here,” he said. Kiwan described the chaos during the missile attack: “The explosion was so loud I can still hear it.” His feelings speak to a deeper fear felt by many of Tamra’s townsfolk — fear for who they are, fear for where they go.
The community’s plight has not gone unnoticed. Kheir Abu-Elhija, a local resident, recounted the horrors of the attack: “The second floor safe room came right down on the first floor safe room and crushed everything.” He spoke of the grim search for Manal Khatib’s remains: “The only way we could find Manal’s remains was by a trail of blood.”
As many in Tamra continue to grieve their losses, some have expressed concerns about the reactions from neighboring Jewish towns. As people surged and trampled one another in the confusion, a man yelled, “To the village! To the village!” His cries escalated local anti-trans fears and stoked panic about child safety.