01In brief
Muqeible is an Arab village in the southeastern part of the Jezreel Valley, in northern Israel, situated on the direct road between Jenin and Nazareth. Administratively part of the Gilboa Regional Council, it recorded a population of 4,281 in 2022, of whom 4,277 were Arab. The regional council also encompasses community settlements, kibbutzim, moshavim, and other Arab localities.
02Overview
Muqeible lies in the southeastern Jezreel Valley, along the road connecting Jenin and Nazareth.[1] The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics assigns it locality code 635 and places it within the North District and the Jezreel subdistrict.[2] Its municipal authority is the Gilboa Regional Council, a mixed body that includes community settlements, kibbutzim, moshavim, and Arab localities.[3]
The village is approximately five kilometers from the community settlement of Gan Ner and only a short distance from a crossing between Israel and the Palestinian Authority near Jenin.[3]
03History
Archival material describes Muqeible as attracting Ottoman government attention because of its geographic position and historical and archaeological importance. Archaeologists also took an interest in the village during the Ottoman and British Mandatory periods.[1]
A notable milestone came in 1964, when Muqeible joined the Gilboa Regional Council. Photographs held by the National Library of Israel document villagers gathering to announce the decision and raising a flag afterward. Other images show children, residents, police, local dignitaries, and council officials at the event, as well as a local committee greeting the prime minister.[1]
04Demographics
The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics recorded Muqeible's total population as 4,281 in 2022, comprising 4,277 Arabs and four residents in the "Jews and others" category.[2] Other published figures vary by source and reference date. The CBS listed 4,030 residents in 2018,[4] while a Mako document published in May 2020 listed 4,029 but did not specify the population reference date.[5] A Mako report published in August 2025 estimated the population at approximately 4,700.[6]
05Community Relations and Recent Events
In October 2020, following the killing of 17-year-old Itai Yitzhak of nearby Gan Ner during a youth altercation near Muqeible, Gilboa Regional Council head Oved Nur characterized the incident as criminal rather than nationalistic and emphasized that it was not a conflict between residents of Gan Ner and Muqeible.[3] Muqeible council member Hisham Zaidat offered condolences to Yitzhak's family and stated: "We have always lived in fellowship and peace, and we will maintain ties of fellowship and peace within and between our communities."[3]
In August 2025, Ibrahim Ziadat, 36, was shot by three masked men while in a home courtyard with three other people. He later died, and the other three were injured.[6] The killing was followed by a family feud involving gunfire directed at buildings and homes, as well as arson. Local leaders and police attempted to mediate, while police increased their presence in the village amid concern about further retaliation.[6]
Sources
- 1National Library of Israel, accessed on October 1, 2026.
- 2Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Localities File 2022, accessed on October 1, 2026.
- 3Ynet, Itai Yitzhak, 17, from Gan Ner, murdered in a brawl in the north, accessed on October 1, 2026.
- 4Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Non-Jewish and Mixed Localities 2018, accessed on October 1, 2026.
- 5Mako, accessed on October 1, 2026.
- 6Mako, "It's a quiet village, we were surprised by the violent response to the murder", accessed on October 1, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
What is Muqeible?
Muqeible is an Arab village in the southeastern part of the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel, situated on the direct road between Jenin and Nazareth. Administratively part of the Gilboa Regional Council, it recorded a population of 4,281 in 2022, of whom 4,277 were Arab.
When did Muqeible join the Gilboa Regional Council?
Muqeible joined the Gilboa Regional Council in 1964. Photographs held by the National Library of Israel document villagers gathering to announce the decision and raising a flag afterward, with images also showing children, residents, police, local dignitaries, and council officials at the event.
What happened in Muqeible following the killing of Itai Yitzhak in October 2020?
Following the killing of 17-year-old Itai Yitzhak of nearby Gan Ner during a youth altercation near Muqeible in October 2020, Gilboa Regional Council head Oved Nur characterized the incident as criminal rather than nationalistic and emphasized that it was not a conflict between residents of Gan Ner and Muqeible. Muqeible council member Hisham Zaidat offered condolences to Yitzhak's family and stated that the two communities had always lived in fellowship and peace.
What violence occurred in Muqeible in August 2025?
In August 2025, Ibrahim Ziadat, 36, was shot by three masked men while in a home courtyard with three other people. He later died, and the other three were injured. The killing was followed by a family feud involving gunfire directed at buildings and homes, as well as arson, prompting local leaders and police to attempt mediation while police increased their presence in the village.