June 2024 Newsletter

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June 2024 FOTONNA Newsletter

Update from Daoud Nassar

The Nassar family welcomes the season’s new visitors and volunteers to the family’s farm, Tent of Nations! We are grateful for the fellowship of visitors and the efforts of volunteers staying to help our farm flourish. During these difficult times, the presence of international visitors and volunteers provides immeasurable support as we continue to prevent confiscation of our family farm, located in Area C of the Occupied West Bank, Palestine.

We thank the representatives from the eight European Government missions for their visit on May 31, 2024, where they witnessed the extremely concerning developments happening on our land and received a briefing from our lawyer. We are grateful for all the action that they will take on our behalf so that we may complete the re-registration of all our land and farm our land in safety.

With all eyes focused on Gaza, more Palestinian land in the West Bank is being taken. We have not escaped these circumstances. Since March 2024, Israelis have started construction of two roads on our private property, with a third road that will encroach our land if construction continues. We have appealed to the Supreme Court, which had previously ruled that our land is not to be touched while we undergo its re-registration process. On April 21, 2024, the Supreme Court issued an order preventing the State from doing anything on our land until further orders. Yet, Israelis continue to enter and work on our land—as recently as June 9, 2024. In the meantime, on May 27, 2024, in what appears to be establishment of a new outpost, Israeli settlers placed an RV directly abutting our land.

In addition, we, like other Palestinian farmers, have been facing additional restrictions on accessing our land and regular intimidation and harassment by Israeli soldiers and settlers while trying to farm. We are grateful for the accompaniment of the many regular visitors and volunteers to our farm. Their presence significantly helps us to farm our land without fear.

We have been engaged in a 33-year long legal struggle to re-register our land (as required by Israeli law since their property is in Area C of the Occupied West Bank). The next court hearing regarding our registration is scheduled for July 2, 2024. This hearing (if not cancelled), will be the 11th in a series of hearings that began only in 2021, many years after the Israeli Supreme Court ruled, in 2006, that we be allowed to re-register our land. The current situation and now the new road construction heighten the urgency for our family that these delays end and a just outcome secured, that is, completion of the re-registration process recognizing our ownership of all our land.

Tent of Nations welcomes many visitors each year and hopes they return often! Thank you for walking with us on our journey for justice. Please contact us for more information on how to get involved. And our journey continues with faith, love, and hope.”

Blessings and Salaam,

Daoud Nassar

Director, Tent of Nations

-People Building Bridges-
https://tentofnations.com, https://fotonna.org/
Facebook: Tent of Nations/Nassar Farm

A Message from the FOTONNA Steering Committee

While the news in Israel-Palestine is focused understandably on Gaza, the experience of our Palestinian friends in the West Bank is exceedingly troubling as more land is being taken with impunity. As the pressure increases, our efforts have as well.

Most of those on the FOTONNA Steering Committee participated in the Churches for Middle East Peace Advocacy Summit in April, joining Daoud and his wife Jihan in meetings with our elected officials, speaking out for TON and those in the West Bank as well as for Gazans.  Daoud is taking every step he can with multiple international parties to peacefully resist the increased intimidation and harassment by Israeli soldiers and settlers and the repeated delays in the court hearing to re-register the land. Beth Moore continues to do her excellent work coordinating advocacy efforts on our end.

We are thankful to see international visitors and volunteers coming to the farm, including Joan Deming from the Steering Committee who led a team of 4 (which you can read about in this newsletter) and a member of our Advisory Council,David Benedict who was part of a team with five Union Seminary students from NY.  In addition, the prayers, words of encouragement, writing of letters to elected officials and ongoing support in a variety of ways from each of you all factor into the critical work being done to counter the rising pressure.

Together, we refuse to let the enormity of God’s vision for our world – and TON in particular – be diminished by the small, tribal visions that want to dominate.  The prophetic tradition unites us through an image of young people seeing visions of what can be and old people dreaming dreams of what one day will be – each placing their hope in a world that is still emerging as we press on toward it.  It is remarkable that the early followers of Jesus, though greatly outnumbered and facing overwhelming odds, still managed to turn things upside down and bring about a more just and compassionate society because they never gave up. They held firm. They maintained their hope.  People said “You’re naive. You’re idealistic. This is just dreaming. It will never happen.”  But they kept on going because their lives had a goal that was greater than this world could contain, and they committed themselves toward it.

We are committed to the same as we join Daoud and his family in their inspiring and faithful work of refusing to conform to this world, but striving for a better world. We join the Nassars and that great cloud of witnesses who had visions and dreamed dreams, not losing heart with the sobering setbacks and severe strains along the way.

I read this past week of an oncologist who specializes in some of the worst kinds of cancer. He is a world-class physician with a string of degrees and fellowships after his name.  Like all professionals, he has a card with his name on it, but in place of where you might expect a list of his degrees, he has three words in boldface type: “THERE IS HOPE.” I have a feeling it’s the card as well as his care that keeps his patients going.

It’s because we have each other – and because we hold the Nassars and one another in our hearts – that the message on this card keeps us going, working for a world that, despite all the evidence to the contrary, God assures us is coming. Thankful to be on this hard but holy journey with you.

Together in Hope,

Charlie Lewis

FOTONNA Steering Committee Chair

A Prayer for the Tent of Nations by Alex Awad

With Heart & HandMighty God, we come before you with praise and thanksgiving for the Nassar family and for their patience and endurance as they struggle to stop the injustice that is threatening their land and their lives. We also thank you for their commitment to nonviolent means of resistance and for refusing to call their oppressors “enemies.”

Merciful God, the Nassar family’s struggle with the settlers who want to grab their land has been going on for many years and they have experienced numerous painful attacks by the settlers during these years. Lord, we pray for an end to the attacks on the Nassars’ land. And although under the Israeli judicial system there is no expectation that the Israeli government would stand with a Palestinian family, we recognize that you are the higher judge of all, and you can change the hearts of those who are doing harm.

We pray for your continued protection of the Nassar family.

We pray that you will continue to give them wisdom as they deal with those who attack them.

We pray that you give courage to the Friends of Tent of Nations here in the US and around the world as they continue to stand in solidarity with this just cause.

Gracious Lord, since the situation at the Tent of Nations is a microcosm of the larger injustices against the whole Palestinian nation in the West Bank and in Gaza Strip, we pray for the end of all hostilities between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. We pray that you will hasten the day when Israelis and Palestinians will live in the land in total peace and harmony.

We call on you to hear our prayers because all authority, power, and glory belongs to you. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we pray.

Amen

Rev. Alex Awad, is a retired United Methodist Missionary, who with his wife Brenda served for many years as Dean of Students and faculty members at Bethlehem Bible College. Alex is co-chair of the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace (PCAP).

Advocacy Update and Alert

In April, Daoud and his wife Jihan spent 10 days in Washington DC with FOTONNA Steering Committee members and other supporters, visiting 20 members of Congress and State Department officials. All who met with the Nassars were moved by their 33-year long legal fight to protect the Tent of Nations from confiscation and alarmed by the heightened tension they have faced since October 7.

Several elected officials and their legislative aides expressed a willingness to sign a joint letter to Secretary Blinken regarding the increasing violence directed at farmers by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank of which Tent of Nations is an example.  Rep. Raul Grijalva subsequently wrote a letter to the State Department, signed by several additional House members. The press release and letter are available at this link. We are grateful for the action of these representatives.

URGENT REQUEST FOR YOUR ACTION REGARDING July 2nd Re-registration Hearing of Nassar Farm

As Daoud shared in his update, the situation around and on the Nassar family farm has become dire. Israeli soldiers and settlers are constructing roads on and alongside the farm, access to the farm for family and visitors is restricted by additional roadblocks and checkpoints, a new outpost has been set up right next to the farm, and family members are subjected to harassment and intimidation from settlers on a daily basis.

The next court hearing regarding the re-registration of the land is scheduled for July 2, 2024. This hearing (if not cancelled), will be the 11th in a series of hearings that began only in 2021, many years after the Israeli Supreme Court ruled, in 2006, that the family be allowed to re-register their land. The current situation heightens the urgency for the delays to end and a decision to be made that recognizes the private ownership of their land.

We are asking you to raise your voice to advocate for the Tent of Nations.

Use these links to obtain the contact information for your elected officials:

• House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
·

• Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?OrderBy%253Dstate%2526Sort%253DASC 

Click these links for the email template and phone script you can use to urge your senators and representative to contact Secretary of State Blinken with specific asks.

You may also want to schedule a zoom or in person appointment with your elected officials and/or their legislative aides. (The House is out of session the week of June 17 and July 1. The Senate is out of session the weeks of June 24 and July 1).

We are also providing information on the historical background of the legal case with details about events in and around the farm since October 7, and a list of asks. This Background document can be used for in person meetings, and/or left with the congressperson or staffer.

Thank you for using your influence as a constituent.

Please act quickly. If you need more information or have questions, write to the FOTONA Steering Committee at info@fotonna.org.

We are grateful for your support!

Beth Moore, FOTONNA Steering Committee Finance Co-Director

A Snapshot of a Volunteer Experience at Tent of Nations

From May 17-27 I visited Tent of Nations together with 3 American friends to volunteer on the farm. We came in response to the Nassar family’s appeal to help create a 24/7 international presence on the farm — both to help with farm tasks and to provide protection, simply by our presence, from settler and Israeli military intrusions. Here’s my take on this incredibly rewarding experience:

The situation of the farm and life in the West Bank more broadly have never been so fraught for local Palestinians. However, as an American of a certain age, I felt totally safe. The farm is kept as secure as the family can make it. (Note the keys in the photo!)

Within the farm grounds we experienced quiet and serenity—and a balance of hard work and time for rest and play. We also had “security guards” from a next-door settlement drive slowly by several times with flashing lights, stopping sometimes to ask about our presence. (“Who are you? Why are you here? Where are you from? How long are you staying?”) The settlers made it clear they believe the land is theirs because God gave it to them, and they intend to keep trying to take it. During our stay, those settlers installed an RV next to the farm on a new illegal road. They appear to be preparing a new outpost there but did not interfere with volunteers at all. We tried to answer and interact as little as possible. We were all grateful to be there and hopeful that our presence gave some protection for the farm.

Our volunteer tasks included: cutting tall weeds, aerating soil around fruit trees, building and cementing a circular seating area of rocks to surround a new “justice pole,” cutting and drying herbs for eventual sale, staking trees and grape vines, watering trees, prepping and painting metal window grills. Since we were a small community needing daily care, tasks also included preparing breakfasts and suppers, cleaning tables and doing dishes, cleaning tents and compost toilets, and doing laundry. Volunteers who come prepared to take on ANY needed task are true volunteer gold!

We had up to 15 volunteers from 5 countries, during our stay. However, as I left, only 2 volunteers remained awaiting the next arrivals. Almost daily visits by tour groups added to the interesting mix of folks sharing lunches. A continuous rotation of new international volunteers is needed. If you are considering volunteering this summer or fall at Tent of Nations, know that you are wanted and will be welcomed with gratitude and grace!

To learn more, please contact Daoud Nassar through the volunteer page of Tent of Nations’ website: https://tentofnations.com/volunteer/. This is an intense time to be in Palestine; thus it means all the more for our hosts and for us. Let me emphasize; we felt very safe! Our hosts are safer with us there. And we had experiences that will shape the rest of our lives.

Rev. Joan Deming

FOTONNA Steering Committee Co-Communications Director

Thanks for your support – Gifts and Prayers

In the last year, FOTONNA has established a Fiscal Sponsor relationship withTree of Life Educational Fund (TOLEF). This means that if you wish to give a tax-deductible gift, you may make your gift ($250 or more) to TOLEF to be allocated to FOTONNA.

You can also give directly to FOTONNA online or by check, though direct gifts are not tax deductible.

For directions about how to give, either directly to FOTONNA OR through our Fiscal Sponsor, visit the FOTONNA website and choose the “Take Action” tab in the menu at the top, and then select “make a contribution”. On this page you will see the two options for giving. The first one shown is for making the gift to FOTONNA directly, the second one provides directions for making a tax-deductible contribution of $250 or more through TOLEF for FOTONNA.

Thank you for your generous support, spiritually and financially, for the Nassar family. If you wish to make a financial gift, and have any questions about how to do so, please feel free to contact: Beth Moore, FOTONNA’s Finance Co-Director, ebmoore1@live.com.

Mike Phillips

FOTONNA Finance Co-Director

We are Grateful to be on the FOTONNA road with you!

We are grieving with you in this harrowing season of death and suffering in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel. Thank you for all the ways that you are leaning into the wind, walking with the Nassars on their “journey for justice with faith, love, and hope in action.”

Heidi Saikaly and Joan Deming
FOTONNA Steering Committee Communications Team

Re-registration Background – Aug 24

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Background Information on Tent of Nations and the Nassar family’s 33 year legal struggle

Tent of Nations is a peace project located on a farm owned for over 100 years by the Nassar family, located 6 miles southwest of Bethlehem in the occupied Palestinian territories. Situated in Area C under Israeli administrative and security control, the farm is located on a hilltop surrounded by Israeli settlements.[1] In 2001, the Nassar family named their farm Tent of Nations, receiving visitors from around the world to foster a connection between the land and people. The farm is dedicated to sustainable agriculture and hosts programs for women and children from the area. In 2019, international visitors numbered 10,000. Tent of Nations is supported by church and religious organizations in the U.S.A. and Europe, which host visits to the farm, help support Tent of Nations’ educational and peacebuilding programs, and sponsor volunteers who live and work on the farm. Since 2001, Tent of Nations has been a place where “people from many different countries come together to learn, to share, and to build bridges of understanding and hope.

In 1991, the Israeli authorities declared the Nassar farm and surrounding areas “state land.” Since then, the Nassar family has been in the Israeli Military Court and, ultimately, the Israeli Supreme Court defending their land from the demolition of farm buildings, water cisterns, and tents and from outright confiscation. In 2006, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the Nassars should be allowed to go through the re-registration process of their property as required by Israel of landowners in Area C. [2] Since then the family have been subjected to continued delays that required that they re-initiate their application for re-registration multiple times. Finally, in 2019 they received confirmation that their application to re-register was complete. [3]

After two more years of additional delays, a meeting was held in February 2021 by the Re- Registration Committee of the Civil Administration, the purpose of which was to determine and inform the family about next steps in the re-registration process. Between February and August 2021 nothing further was heard from the Civil Administration although the lawyer inquired several times. Due to the delays, Nassars’ lawyer prepared documents to resubmit to the Supreme Court asking them to take further action. Within three days, he was informed that the Committee authorized by the Civil Administration to review this case would reconvene on December 13, 2021. That hearing was postponed and rescheduled for January 16, 2022.

The hearing on January 16, 2022 was held. However, the Absentee Property Custodian representing the State did not appear, and the head of the committee gave the State an additional 45 days to produce documents supporting their case in a hearing scheduled for May 2; which was postponed and rescheduled for October 27 and again postponed until November 21. November’s hearing was held, and the State did not appear. The committee refused to decide for the Nassars’ claiming it was only “fair” that Palestinian objectors be heard: neglecting the fact that all of them had been given time in previous hearings to submit their evidence during the past year and had never complied.

In the subsequent hearing held January 16, 2023, the Committee contravened previous decisions in which they had dismissed a Palestinian objector who was claiming ownership of a portion of the Nassars’ land. They returned him, along with the Absentee Property Custodian, to the re-registration hearing of February 12, 2023.

Hearings scheduled for February 12 and March 2, 2023 were held. A representative of the Absentee Property Custodian appeared at the February hearing who knew nothing about the case. As of the February 12 hearing, the Absentee Property Custodian has been dismissed from the case. However, the Committee allowed the Palestinian family they returned to the case in January 2023 to appear at the March 2nd hearing. This was done in spite of the fact that they have failed, during the past 15 month series of hearings, to deliver documents or produce witnesses which substantiate their claims, and that they had been dismissed from the case in November of 2022. At the March 2nd 2023 hearing, Daoud’s lawyer moved to dismiss the Palestinian family’s objection based on the Committee’s previous decision to remove them from the case. This request was denied. Subsequent hearings were held on May 15 and September 6 at which a number of witnesses testified and an additional hearing was scheduled for December 4. This hearing would have been a significant one: Mr. Nassar would have finally been allowed to give his testimony, and in addition an Israeli land expert would have provided testimony to support the family’s ownership of the land since 1916. The December 4th, 2023 hearing ( the 11th in a series of hearings which began in December, 2021) on the re-registration of the Nassar’s land was cancelled by the Israeli Civil Administration. In early April 2024, they learned that the next hearings was scheduled for July 2. On July 1, one day before the hearing, the lawyer and family received notice of the cancellation of the hearing. The hearing has been rescheduled for September 11.

The continuous delays in the land re-registration process have exposed the Nassars to severe risks, including fire which was intentionally set in May 2021, damage of property by vandals over many years, and a physical attack on members of the family in January 2022. Completion of the land re-registration would constitute Israeli authorities’ recognition of the Nassars as the private owners of this land and end their legal struggle.

[1] The Nassar family owns plots of land located in Wadi Salem (Alkaff) Alkafr in Nahalin, Bethlehem district. The land was registered in 1924 and 1925 in the land registry office of Bethlehem, volume No. 1, pages 3 & 4 and also registered in 1958 in the financial deeds under Plot No. 17, 161, and 157 of block No. 4, altogether 427 Dunams.

[2] Case Number: HCJ 7215/02

[3] Re-registration Case Nos. 3714/2 and 3715/2

Updated: August 2024

URGENT ACTION REQUESTED

With all eyes focused on Gaza, more Palestinian agricultural land in the West Bank is being taken. The Nassar family has not escaped these circumstances, and the situation is dire. Detailed below are some of the major actions taken by settlers and the military against the Nassars over the past 10 months, the actions the family has taken in response, and the delays they have faced from the courts and the military as they attempt to prevent the confiscation of their land.

Roads constructed into and through the Nassar’s property

  • March 13, 2024: Israelis built a road which cuts off some 50 dunams of their property and if extended will make even more land inaccessible
  • March 21, 2024: Construction of a second road began that, if continued, will cut off another segment of the family’s land
  • April 15, 2024: The Israeli military imposes a closed military zone which effectively cuts in half the northern most parcel of the Nassars land and prevents them from working it.
  • May 1, 2024 . An Israeli settler began a 3rd road, that if continued will connect the first and second roads leaving the Nassars with a minimal portion of their 100 acres of land on the top of their hill. Work on this road ceased after family members confronted the bulldozer driver with the court order saying no work was to be done on the land while the re-registration was in process.

Legal Actions by the Nassars as a result of incursions on the land since Oct. 7

  • April 18 – after having received no response from the Israeli military challenging the building of roads through the Nassar’s property, the family’s lawyer appealed to the Supreme Court ( which had ruled previously that their land was not to be touched during the re-registration process).
  • April 21 – The Court issued an order indicating nothing further was to be done on the Nassar’s land, and the Military was required to respond to this order by May 16. The military told the court that no work was being done on the Nassar’s property, and they needed more time to investigate the question. The Court gave them until June 5.
  • June 27 – The military told the court that Settlers, not they, were responsible for the actions on the Nassars land, and thus the case should be handled in the Civilian Court in Jerusalem.
  • July 9 – After additional delays by the military, the court ruled against the military’s request that the case be moved to the Civilian Court in Jerusalem and scheduled a hearing for October 8, 2024.

New Outpost Establishment

  • May 27 – in what appears to be the establishment of a new outpost (illegal under Israeli and international law), Israeli settlers placed an RV directly abutting the Nassar’s land, subsequently hauling in several truckloads of gravel and leveling the land.
  • August 5 – Settlers began constructing a building on a portion of Plot 2 of the land in an area where they had destroyed 75 apple trees.

Restricted Access to the property

  • In addition, to these extremely concerning developments, the Nassars, like other Palestinian farmers, face more restrictions on accessing their land and increased intimidation and harassment by Israeli soldiers and settlers while trying to farm. Almost daily, Israeli military/security or settlers try to prevent the Nassar family from working on their farm and have damaged the farm’s fences when entering the property.
  • Additional roadblocks, and fencing prevent access from Route 60 to the Tent of Nations property by family and visitors. This requires additional travel time via villages which themselves often have flying checkpoints and roadblocks, preventing or delaying access.

THE RE-REGISTRATION BATTLE

The Nassar’s ownership of their land is clear and well documented. The current situation and now the new road construction and outpost heighten the urgency for these delays to end and a just outcome for the family to be secured: that is, completion of the re-registration process recognizing the Nassar’s ownership of all their land.

Action is urgently needed to bring to an end this dangerous situation the Nassar family faces and to secure justice by preventing illegal confiscation of their land, thereby also ensuring respect for international law. Specifically, it is imperative that our Government take all possible steps, to ensure that:

  1. the Nassar ownership of all their land as delimited in their Re-registration Case Nos. 3714/2 and 3715/2 be confirmed and the reregistration be completed immediately. Ask the State Department to support the Nassars by attending the scheduled September 11, 2024, hearing at the military compound at Beit El (north of Ramallah).
  2. the road construction and all other damage and unauthorized entry to the Nassars’ private property is stopped, so that hindering the Nassars’ access to their land, as well as intimidation or harassment by Israeli military/security or settlers will be brought to an end.
  3. the Nassars are guaranteed protection and may safely farm their land. Please visit the Nassars at Tent of Nations frequently. Governmental official presence allows the Nassars to farm their land in safety and helps prevent hostile acts against the Nassars and their property.
  4. they remain abreast of the situation developing on the ground by visiting Tent of Nations frequently. Please encourage congressional delegations visiting Israel/Palestine to come to Tent of Nations to see first-hand the facts on ground.

Thank you for your consideration and for understanding the urgency for action now.

For more information, contact info@fotonna.org

Friends of Tent of Nations | 3436 East Ave So. | La Crosse, WI 54601 US

updated August 16, 2024

08/24 – Phone Call Script to Members of Congress

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Sample Phone Call Script

Hello,

I am ______ , residing at _______.  I am calling (Senator/Representative) about an urgent human rights situation.  Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli government and settlers have intensified efforts to confiscate land of Palestinians in Area C of the West Bank.  I bring your attention to the Nassar family, Palestinian Christians and owners of the Tent of Nations farm and peacemaking center, located 6 miles southwest of Bethlehem, where people from many different countries come together to learn, to share, and to build bridges of understanding and hope.

Recently, Daoud Nassar wrote, “Israeli settlers and the military have built roads through our property and in the process have destroyed trees and fences.  A structure is now being built by settlers on a portion of our land.  Roadblocks have been placed that restrict access to our property.  The family is intimidated and threatened, as they work on the farm.”

The Nassars’ ownership of their land for more than 100 years is clear and well-documented.  Yet, they have had to endure an exhausting 33-year long legal struggle in Israeli Military and Supreme courts to protect their land from confiscation by a process called re-registration. The 13th re-registration hearing is now scheduled for September 11.  It is crucial that it be held, and a decision is made.  Completion of the land re-registration would constitute Israeli authorities’ recognition of the Nassars as private owners of their land.

I am asking (Senator/Representative) to contact the State Department and request that State Department Representatives:
1. Pressure COGAT to hold the September 11, 2024 hearing and come to a decision that confirms the Nassars’ ownership of all their land as delimited in their Re-registration Case Nos. 3714/2 and 3715/2.
2. Support the Nassars by attending the scheduled September 11 hearing at the military compound at Beit El (north of Ramallah).
3. Extend protection to the Nassar farm by asking the Office of Palestinian Affairs to schedule regular visits to Tent of Nations, including those by Congressional members visiting Israel.

Thank you for your attention to my request, I would be glad to speak with you and provide further information.

Use these links to obtain the contact information for your elected officials:

 

08/24 Email – Members of Congress

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Sample  Email template for use with Congressional members with asks for September 11 re-registration hearing

Dear……

With all eyes focused on Gaza, more Palestinian agricultural land in the West Bank is being taken by Israeli settlers and the military. Tent of Nations, a family-owned farm located in Area C has not escaped these circumstances, and the situation is dire.

Since 1991, the Nassar family has been engaged in a 33-year long legal struggle in Israeli Military and Supreme courts to save their land from confiscation. The family has documentation of their ownership of their land, dating back to 1916. Re-registration of the land was allowed to commence in 2021. The Registration Committee of the Israeli military authority has repeatedly postponed or cancelled hearings. No decision has been made after 12 scheduled hearings, 5 of which have been cancelled. The 13th hearing is scheduled for September 11 — it is crucial that it be held, and a decision made.

Since October 7, the farm and family have been under increased threat of land confiscation, harassment and intimidation from Israeli military and settlers. Roads are being built around and through their property, and an illegal outpost is being created adjacent to their farm. Israeli settlers are now building a structure on a portion of their property.

The Nassars’ ownership of their land is clear and well-documented. The current situation heightens the urgency for these delays to end and a just outcome for the family to be secured: that is, completion of the re-registration process recognizing the Nassars’ ownership of their land.

I am asking you to contact the State Department and request that they do the following:
1.  Pressure COGAT to hold the September 11, 2024 hearing and come to a decision that confirms the Nassar ownership of all their land as delimited in their Re-registration Case Nos. 3714/2 and 3715/2
2. Support the Nassars by attending the scheduled September 11 hearing at the military compound at Beit El (north of Ramallah).
3.  Extend protection to the Nassar farm by asking the Office of Palestinian Affairs to schedule regular visits to Tent of Nations including those by Congressional members visiting Israel.

Thank you for your attention to my request, and I look forward to hearing from you regarding your action.

Name
Address

 Use these links to obtain the contact information for your elected officials:

 

Grijalva Press Release

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Grijalva press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 3, 2024

Press Contact:

Jason Johnson – (202) 225-2435


Rep. Grijalva Urges State Department to Prevent Confiscation of Palestinian Land and Further Violence in West Bank

WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), joined by Reps. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), James McGovern (D-Mass.) Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.) , urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to engage with the Israeli authorities on the re-registration of the Nassar family property, The Tent of Nations, a 100-acre farm located outside Bethlehem. Since the State of Israel declared their farm as “state land” in 1991, the Nassar family have been subjected to what the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has called a “bureaucracy of violence” which has delayed the re-registration of their land as private property for 34 years.

The letter details the difficulties the family has encountered to re-register their farm and the issues they face at present:

“Since October 7th, The Nassar family have endured an increase in threatening actions by the Israeli military and settlers – a pattern of behavior that has been used in a variety of locations throughout the West Bank in attempts to drive Palestinian farmers off their land and to expand the Israeli settlements,” wrote the members of Congress. “These tactics include: additional large roadblocks denying access to the land from the main road, which makes it more difficult for the family to reach their farm; the creation of two outposts close to the Nassar’s farm; the installation of a watch tower with lights; the development of two new roads which if completed will reduce the amount of land the family can access safely; the imposition of a closed military zone which will be used to deny access to a parcel of land used primarily for agricultural purposes.”

“The ownership of the Nassar’s land is clear and well documented. The escalation of activity directed at their property by the military and settlers heightens the urgency for these delays to end and a just outcome for the family to be secured: that is, completion of the re-registration process recognizing their ownership of all their land, and their right to access and farm it. This is about more than one plot of land,” the members of Congress continued. “The protection of this farm will protect the Palestinian village of Nahalin – with some 9,000 inhabitants – which sits just to the west of the farm. We have grave concerns that should the Nassar land be confiscated it will further isolate Palestinians in the village of Nahalin and pave the way for increased settlement presence. This is a matter of the U.S.’ commitment to equal rights for all, and the rule of law.”

Read the full letter here.