Many of its building licences have now been challenged by higher authorities.
They say the illegal building is the result of decades of Israeli refusals to grant building licences to Palestinians.
We are practically not allowed building licences and this has led to a serious housing crisis.
"Thousands were built in the valley, while in Albox town hall they claim just 11 building licences were officially issued".
In an effort, so far unsuccessful, to win local consent, the mayor is offering retroactive building licences for another 60-odd homes in the area, also built illegally.
The long Spanish construction boom, especially along the Mediterranean coast, has brought an explosion in the money that town halls take in from issuing building licences.
The Bowlings were affected by illegal building licences, granted by town halls eager to raise revenue at the height of the property boom.
"You have to remember," says Meades, "that when Nairn wrote "Outrage", building licences [along with ration books], had only just been repealed.
During the frenzied years of economic boom, many local town halls took advantage of the exploding demand for property by granting illegal building licences to raise extra revenue.
Iran, which dreamt up the idea, has a big car market with several manufacturers building vehicles under licence from foreign firms such as Peugeot and Renault.
Open carry weapons are permitted, however, inside the state's assembly building, or capitol, where licence holders can bypass metal detectors.
