History

The Towns Association for Environmental Quality-Agan Beit Natufa (TAEQ) was established in 1993 as the first regional environmental unit in Israel’s Arab sector.  The association serves six Arab towns in the Beit Natufa Basin: Sakhnin, Arrabe, Deir-Hanna, Eilabun, Kaukab Abu El-Heija and Bueina Nujidat, encompassing a population of approximately 75,000 residents and a jurisdictional area of 60,000 dunams (15,000 acres).
TAEQ welcomes some 60,000 visitors to its campus annually, including women, farmers, the elderly, school groups, teachers, university students, scientific researchers, city planners, employees of local municipalities and visitors from abroad. Visitors participate in workshops and training courses related to ecology and sustainable development.
TAEQ’s unique position in Israel’s Arab sector has enabled it to promote dialogue between Jews and Arabs, and to become a leading promoter of cooperation between countries in the region.
In 1994 TAEQ’s environmental experts took part in the bilateral negotiations that were part of the peace accord between Israel and Jordan.
In 2007, TAEQ’s Executive Director participated in the Israeli-Palestinian committee that prepared a draft of the environmental accord for the Annapolis peace conference.