Tira, Israel

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Hebrew transcription(s)
 • Hebrew טִירָה
 • ISO 259 Ṭira
 • Also spelled Tire (official)
Arabic transcription(s)
 • Arabic الطـّيرة
Tira's Southern Entrance 20-3-09.JPG
Official logo of Tira
Tira is located in Israel
Coordinates: 32°13′56″N 34°56′54″E﻿ / ﻿32.23222°N 34.94833°E﻿ / 32.23222; 34.94833Coordinates: 32°13′56″N 34°56′54″E﻿ / ﻿32.23222°N 34.94833°E﻿ / 32.23222; 34.94833
Grid position 145/182 PAL
District Central
 • Type City
 • Mayor Mamoun Abd al-Hay
 • Total 11,894 dunams (11.894 km2 or 4.592 sq mi)
Population (2009)[1]
 • Total 22,600
Name meaning The High Land
For other uses, see Tira.

Tira (Arabic: الطـّيرةal-Tira, Hebrew: טִירָה), "The Fort"[2] is a predominantly Arab city in the Central District of Israel. At the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 22,600.[1] It is part of The Triangle, a concentration of Israeli Arab towns and villages adjacent to the Green Line.

Tira's southern entrance

Tira is close to Kfar Saba, a larger Jewish city, and is well known by its neighbors for its weekly outdoor market, as well as for its Arab cuisine.

Mannequins with traditional Muslim veils at Tira's Saturday's market


In the 12th century, during the Crusader period, the village was owned by the Order of St. John. It was lease to Robert of Sinjil and his heirs. In the 14th and 15th century, Tira was a stop on the road between Gaza and Damascus,[3] and a khan was constructed.[4]

Ottoman era[edit]

Pierre Jacotin called the village Ertahah on his map from 1799.[5]

In 1882, the Palestine Exploration Fund's Survey of Western Palestine described Tira as: "A conspicuous village on a knoll in the plain, surrounded by olives, with a well on the west side."[6]

British Mandate era[edit]

In the 1922 census of Palestine conducted by the British Mandate authorities, Tireh had a population of 1,588; 1,582 Muslims and 6 Christians,[7] increasing in the 1931 census to 2,192; 2,190 Muslims and 2 Christians, in a total of 380 houses.[8] In 1945, it had 3,180 Arab inhabitants, who owned a total of owned 26,803 dunams of land.[9]

1948, aftermath[edit]


According to CBS, in 2004 the ethnic makeup of the city was 99.9% Sunni Muslim Arab citizens of Israel (see also: Population groups in Israel).

A small number of Jews also live in Tira, mainly due to the cheaper housing costs offered by Tira than in many Jewish localities, such as nearby Kfar Saba.[10]

According to CBS, in 2001 there were 9,600 males and 9,300 females. The population of the city was spread out with 47.4% 19 years of age or younger, 16.2% between 20 and 29, 19.9% between 30 and 44, 10.8% from 45 to 59, 1.8% from 60 to 64, and 3.8% 65 years of age or older. The population growth rate in 2001 was 2.8%.

In 2004, 41.3% of the population was 17 years or younger, 54.5% were between 18 and 64 years of age, and 4.2% were aged 65 and above.


According to CBS, as of 2000, in the city there were 3,654 salaried workers and 953 are self-employed. The mean monthly wage in 2000 for a salaried worker in the city is ILS 3,767, a real change of 2.4% over the course of 2000. Salaried males have a mean monthly wage of ILS 4,494 (a real change of 6.1%) versus ILS 2,319 for females (a real change of -13.0%). The mean income for the self-employed is 4,289. There are 69 people who receive unemployment benefits and 1,183 people who receive an income guarantee.

In 2004, 41.9% of the population was part of the workforce.


According to CBS, there are 10 schools and 4,735 students in the city. They are spread out as 7 elementary schools and 2,896 elementary school students, and 3 high schools and 1,839 high school students. 64.8% of 12th grade students were entitled to a matriculation certificate in 2001.

In 2004, 6.5% of the population had 0 years of education, 17.1% had up to 8 years, 55% had 9 to 12 years, 11.8% had 13–15 years, and 9.7% had 16 or more years of education. 10% had an academic degree.

Tira's Schools[edit]
  1. Al-Zahraa.
  2. Al-Najah.
  3. Al-G'azali.
  4. Al-Majd.
  5. Al-Aomareya.
  6. Junior High A.
  7. Junior High B.
  8. Amal 1- Ibrahim Qsaem High School.
  9. Technological High School.
  10. Tira's Science High School
  • Many High school students from Tira Study at High schools out of Tira.
Twin towns — Sister cities[edit]

Tira is twinned with:

Notable people[edit]

See also[edit]


  2. ^ Palmer, 1881, p.194
  3. ^ Petersen, 2001, p. 307, citing al-Zahri ed. Ravaisse, 199, Hartmann 1910, 689
  4. ^ Petersen, 2001, p.307, citing al-Umari ed. Shams al-Din
  5. ^ Karmon, 1960, p. 170
  6. ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1882, SWP II, p. 166
  7. ^ Barron, 1923, Table IX, Sub-district of Tulkarem, p. 28
  8. ^ Mills, 1932, p. 58
  9. ^ Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970 p.77
  10. ^ [1], Ynet
  11. ^ Sayed Kashua, 'Sayed Kashua: why I have to leave Israel ,', 20 July 2014. The Guardian.


External links[edit]