Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends: Greetings from the hills of Bethlehem, where the Tent of Nations continues to live out its mission under occupation—surrounded by settlements, locked gates, flying checkpoints, and daily restrictions that try to suffocate hope. It feels at times like we are in an open-air prison. And yet, like the Apostle Paul […]
Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends: As we celebrate Easter this year with heavy hearts, we are reminded that light breaks through the darkness, that pain, injustice, and even death do not have the final word, and that the empty tomb is not just a symbol of victory over death, but a promise that love […]
FOTONNA Newsletter December 2024 Update from Daoud Nassar “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in God, and God helps me.” (Psalm 28:7) Dear Friends: It has been a very long year, but you have been with us throughout this time of darkness. You have brought light and love with your […]
Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends: We remain forever grateful for all the love and support you have given us over the years. You know that with peaceful persistence we have prevented the confiscation of the farm which has been in our family since 1916. Over these 108 years, the family has faced a great […]
July 2024 Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, Please follow the link below to read Nicholas Kristof’s article, “Meet the Followers of Martin Luther King Jr. in the West Bank,” in the New York Times. (From July 6, 2024. You may have to create a free account with NYT, but no subscription is needed. You […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.), […]
Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends, It is a big challenge to keep hope alive with all the destruction, the hopelessness and despair that our country is going through. This morning, I was reading the Sermon on the Mount, the strong message of comfort that Jesus shared with the people who came to listen to […]
Dear friends of Tent of Nations, This is to extend our gratitude for the numerous messages and phone calls of support and solidarity that we have received. Your words of encouragement have provided us with immeasurable strength in this dark time of sorrow and pain. I am writing to let you know that the court […]
November 2023 A Message from the FOTONNA Steering Committee At the center of our reality today is a groan, the kind that can’t be verbalized, the kind we draw our breath in pain to say, the kind that comes from a deep ache in our hearts. We are all deeply troubled by the events taking […]
Dear Friends, I want you to know how you and many from around the world encouraged us in the days before the September 6th re-registration hearing. Your prayers and messages of support lifted our spirits. During the hearing the Committee heard two more of our witnesses. Both of them provided very strong evidence about our […]
FOTONNA Newsletter August 2023 Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends, Greetings from the Tent of Nations. I would like to share with you the latest news from the Tent of Nations, the situation on the ground, and the challenges we are facing. Around the Tent of Nations, more facts are being created on the ground. […]
Update from Daoud Nassar May 15, 2023 Dear Friends, This is a short update about the court session today regarding the re-registration of our farm. The committee heard the testimony of our neighboring landowners regarding the ownership of our land. The neighbors testified that they have always known that my father is the owner of […]
FOTONNA Update Prior to May 15 Re-Registration Hearing May 2, 2023 Daoud in Washington, DC Over the last two weeks, Daoud Nassar met in person in Washington, DC with officials of the State Department and in 16 Congressional offices. He shared the Tent of Nations story, emphasized the imminent danger of its confiscation, and asked these […]
Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations: During this Holy week, as we read in the scriptures about the different incidents that happened in the last hours of Jesus’ Ministry on this earth, we are reminded what Jesus went through, starting when the Disciples left HIM, when HE was betrayed by Judas, […]
A Message from the Friends of Tent of Nations Steering Committee: Thank you to the many Friends of Tent of Nations who have contacted Members of Congress and the State Department in the US and government leaders in other nations, in support of the Nassar Family’s efforts to Re-Register their land under Israeli law. Daoud […]
Email Subject Line: Time Sensitive action needed prior to May 15, 2023 I am writing to you (again) regarding Tent of Nations – an international peace center and farm, located 6 miles southwest of Bethlehem, in Area C of the West Bank, which hosts upwards of 10,000 pilgrims and volunteers every year. Tent of Nations […]
Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations: In this season of Advent, a time of hopeful waiting and preparation, we light the advent candles as a reminder of the light that will outshine the darkness of our world. We continue to walk with faith, love, and hope as we “pass through the […]
Dear Friends: Thanks to all of you who have written words of support to us and are wondering about the outcome of the hearing on January 16 th , 2023. With good reason, we had hoped this hearing would produce a decision by the Military Committee for Land Registration to recognize our land as privately […]
December 2020 Many thanks to Bill and Kay Plitt* for their many years of work with the Nassars to build an international community working to “create a better, more tolerant, peaceful world. In these challenging times, your song, “Loving Acts of Kindness” is a wonderful gift to the FOTONNA family. Click here to listen to […]
Dear Friends, Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly the committee decided “for reasons related to its schedule ” to delay the committee session for the reregistration of the Nassar land from the 27th of October until the 21st of November 2022! We don’t understand why they suddenly discovered after setting the session 6 months ago that their […]
FOTONNA Newsletter October 2022 Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, Despite the challenges that we are facing, we are blessed with a growing number of international guests and volunteers who have been visiting us. In the first two weeks of September, we had a group of international volunteers who stayed for […]
Please Act to Support the Tent of Nations: As Daoud has mentioned in his most recent update, the next and hopefully final re-registration hearing has been delayed again until January 16, 2023. FOTONNA believes it is important to continue advocating for TON with our elected officials leading up to the hearing with the Israeli Military […]
November 2022 PHONE CALL AND EMAIL SCRIPT for use with congressional representatives Use these links to obtain the contact information for your elected representatives: · House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative · Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?OrderBy%253Dstate%2526Sort%253DASC 1. State why you are calling/emailing: I am contacting you about the urgent situation at the Tent of Nations, a family farm located outside of […]
Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, As you might know, the re-registration hearing of the land that was scheduled on May 2nd was postponed and no date was set for the next hearing. We are asking our friends to continue raising awareness about the Tent of Nations among religious and political […]
April 18, 2022 Dear Sisters and Brothers, Easter Greetings from the Tent of Nations! “As HE came near and saw Jerusalem, HE wept over it.” Jesus was sad to see the suffering of the people. Today the situation and especially in Jerusalem is not that different; the city is full of tension, hopelessness, and sadness. […]
April 18, 2022 Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, In our March newsletter we promised an April email with updates on the Re-Registration Hearing scheduled for early May in Israel and information about how you can help. Your solidarity and prayers have buoyed the spirits of Daoud Nassar and his family! Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, […]
Dear Friends of Tent of Nations: I hope my message finds you in good spirits. I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Daher and I are recovering physically. We never expected to be attacked by Palestinians and this continues to […]
Please Continue Advocating about TON with your elected officials! So much has happened since we reached out to you in July last year and asked for your assistance with the “Save Tent of Nations” petition. You and over 3,600 from the U.S. and across the world signed the petition requesting Secretary Blinken to take action. It was […]
Volunteer at the Tent of Nations What Can We Do to Support the Tent of Nations? Many of you have asked this question over the last few months. The physical presence of volunteers on the land is one thing that has protected the land and the family. That presence has been lacking over the past […]
February 13, 2022 Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers. We are still recovering physically, but emotionally the pain might accompany us longer. Things are not settled yet, but we believe that justice will prevail. Recently 20 volunteers from Germany and France came to the Tent of […]
Friends: Since the attack on Daoud and Daher we have heard from so many of you of your concern and great love for the family. It has been overwhelming, and we are so grateful for your support of them. Daoud and Daher are beginning to heal – both physically and emotionally from the attack. This […]
Dear Friends, The Nassar family is appalled by the brutal physical attack on Daoud Nassar and Daher Nassar on Friday, January 28, 2022, which left them in a critical condition in a Bethlehem hospital. About fifteen masked individuals from the nearby Palestinian village attacked Daoud and Daher with iron bars, large sticks, and razors. Daoud […]
WCC expresses concern about violence against Christians in Palestinian Authority areas February 3, 2022 World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca called on the Palestinian Authority to investigate recent attacks on Christians in the West Bank, and to ensure justice and dignity for all citizens. “The WCC call follows […]
February 2, 2022 By Jonathan Kuttab, for FOSNA blog. I have been associated with Tent of Nations and the Nassar family for many years. In fact, my law office in Jerusalem has been and continues to represent them in their ongoing legal battles to save their land from the Israeli government and the Jewish settlers who have […]
Carter Center Tweet, 1:53 PM · Feb 1, 2022· 1/ We condemn the attack against Daoud & Daher Nassar and express solidarity with their family and the Tent of Nations, who continue to face threats due to their commitment to peace in Palestine. We urge authorities to protect the family & bring the attackers to justice. […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. – January 29, 2022 Media Contact: media@cmep.org 202-543-1222 Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls for prayer for Nassar Family and Tent of Nations Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) calls for prayer for the Nassar Family and the Tent of Nations after yesterday’s horrific incident. On the afternoon of […]
January 28th, 2022 Dear Friends, We learned this morning that Daoud and Daher were attacked by masked individuals at their farm – Tent of Nations. Both sustained injuries that are serious but not life-threatening. Please hold the family close and keep them in your prayers. We will update you as we know more, and determine […]
FOTONNA NEWSLETTER – December 2021 Update from Daoud Nassar Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, Greetings from Bethlehem. I hope this message finds you well and in good health. It is a difficult time for all of us since the pandemic is hitting many countries with a new wave of the virus. At […]
FOTONNA NEWSLETTER – September 2021 Update from Daoud – 15 September 2021 Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, I hope this message finds you well and in good health amid these challenging times. Here in Palestine, the political situation is becoming more difficult following the latest events. The continuous expansion of Israeli settlements across the […]
July 2021 Dear Friend and Supporter of Tent of Nations, You have been a supporter of Tent of Nations or are receiving this message from a friend or colleague who wishes to inform you about this urgent situation. As you know, Tent of Nations is a peace project located on a farm owned for over […]
FOTONNA NEWSLETTER – March 5, 2021 Update from Daoud – March 1, 2021: Greetings from the Tent of Nations! We are facing the third wave of Covid 19. Every day we hear about new cases, the hospitals are full of patients and some are in critical situation. We have closures on Fridays and Saturdays, and […]
FOTONNA NEWSLETTER – December 16, 2020 Daoud and Jihan and the entire Nassar family would love to hear from all of you. A Post Card – not a letter – sent to the following address with a Christmas greeting or even just a note of support would be an uplifting gesture from each of you. […]
Note from Bill Plitt: Dear Friends, As you will see in this letter from Daoud that conditions on the farm and surrounding area are desperate; we are not yet certain as to the reasons why this is happening. One thing we do know is that the U.S. policy towards the region, plus the repercussions of the […]
Dear Friends, This will be an update on the following items: EASTER GREETINGS FROM DAOUD: Dear Sisters and Brothers, I hope my message to you finds you well and in good health during these uncertain times as Covid-19 paves its way rapidly across our communities and societies affecting our daily lives, altering social, political and economic […]
Dear Friends, This will be an update on the following items: Advisory Council meeting on November 17, 2019/Update from Daoud Notice about both Spring and Fall 2020 Tours Reflections from Fall Tour 2019 Museum of the Palestinian People – August 2020 Tour Invitation Advisory Council Meeting – November 17, 2019 Once again, Daoud gave a moving and […]
– September 30, 2019 – Dear Friends, Daoud has added an update (below) on what has been happening on the farm through the actions (or inactions) of the military courts. You may recall from the last two NLs that in December 2018, demolition orders had been placed on the land in a corner section that […]