Final Project

One of the most complex and widespread phenomena within the borders of Israel—particularly in Arab localities—is the phenomenon of informal planning and construction, as well as the existence of unrecognized villages, as defined legally.
These are Arab settlements not officially acknowledged by the state, meaning they have no municipal or regional authority to manage them and no legally defined jurisdictional boundaries.
As a result, their residents do not receive basic services such as water, electricity, healthcare, education, or telecommunication, and there is no planned infrastructure for roads or public transportation.
These villages do not appear on official maps, nor are there road signs directing to them. In addition, no polling stations are located within them during elections, even though their residents are Israeli citizens and vote in nearby recognized Arab towns (Makhol VePerach, p.11).
This reality reflects the concept of the “Present Absentee.”

Most of the buildings in these villages are defined by the state as illegal constructions.
However, this situation is not the result of individual choices, but rather a direct outcome of state policies that have failed to recognize the genuine needs of the Arab population and have restricted their urban development.
Consequently, many residents have been forced to build their homes without permits, leaving them under the constant threat of demolition as part of an ongoing policy of destruction.

The roots of informal planning and the existence of unrecognized Arab villages in Israel go back 77 years, since the 1948 war.
To this day, the state has not taken meaningful steps to resolve the issue, continuing instead to justify demolitions on the grounds of non-recognition.
Most efforts toward recognition and alternative planning solutions have been initiated by organizations for alternative planning and human rights.

Dahmash Village serves as a striking example: located on agricultural land in central Israel, its residents have, for many years, petitioned the courts for building permits and the right to recognition, yet the state continues to deny them this possibility.
In response to ongoing demolition policies, residents have built walls around themselves, seeking a sense of safety and protection.

This project proposes to study the village—its history and lived reality— and to develop a fair and dignified living environment.
From this emerges the central research question:

In the absence of state recognition and in light of the ongoing neglect of the needs of Arab citizens, what is the alternative plan for improving the lives of those who were forced to build without permits and who live in constant fear due to persistent demolition policies within their unrecognized villages?

Accordingly, the alternative plan aims not merely to create an independent, self-functioning village, but to establish a public building—the school—connected to the mosque, forming together the foundation stone of the village.
This building becomes both a symbolic and physical act of resistance to the demolition policy and a community hub, transforming the school into the most vital and sought-after educational institution in the region.