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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Background Information on Tent of Nations 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 […]
Dear Friends: Please Act to Support the Tent of Nations. Your prompt attention will mean a lot. As Daoud Nassar mentioned in his most recent update to the Friends of Tent of Nations, a re-registration hearing has been scheduled for February 12, 2023. FOTONNA believes it is important to continue advocating for Tent of Nations […]
To: Secretary of State Blinken or other State Department Officials with whom the Representative/Senator has had Contact Regarding: May 15 Hearing of the Israeli Civil Administration for the Re-registration of the Nassar Family Farm in the West Bank Dear Secretary Blinken: I am writing/calling regarding the re-registration of the 100 acre Nassar family farm, also […]
PHONE CALL SCRIPT for use with your elected officials Use these links to obtain the contact information for your representative and senators. • House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative • Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?OrderBy%253Dstate%2526Sort%253DASC State what you are asking your representative/senator to do: “I am calling to ask Senator or Representative ____ to urge State Department officials to continue […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
A Green, Flexible, Temporary Wall Installed on the Land I flew to Palestine on October 3 and returned on October 11 for my regular, annual visit to the Nassar family farm. I was joined by Beth Moore, our Tour Coordinator; we were there to represent Friends of Tent of Nations North America (FOTONNA) at the […]
Except for the COVID-19 pandemic time since March 2020, volunteers have always been needed for to help out on the Nassar family farm. As soon as travel is possible again, post-pandemic, international volunteers will be needed and welcomed again. Stay tuned for announcements when travel re-opens! In addition to supporting the actual work carried out […]
Objectives of the Olive Oil Ministry The objectives of the Olive Oil Ministry are to support the Palestinian people in their search for justice, for economic prosperity and defense of their rights, to help bring about a just peace between Palestinians and Israelis, and to raise awareness about the realities on the ground in the […]
2015 Tree of Life Conference How Can WE Be Agents of Change to Secure Human Rights for Palestinians and Israelis? In this conference, we will hear from Israeli, Palestinian and American voices of conscience who will help us understand that in the long struggle toward justice and peace in the Holy Land, the fulcrum of […]
Update from Daoud – October 20, 2014: (Here is a synopsis of what has been happening on the ground since the destruction of the trees on May 19, 2014.) Greetings – After we brought the case before the Israeli Supreme Court regarding the destruction of our trees on private land in May 2014, the Supreme Court […]
Here is the latest news from Daoud on the court cases brought before the Israeli Supreme Court in June 2014 regarding the re-registration of the land and the bulldozing of trees on May 19, 2014. Dear Friends of Tent of Nations, We are still waiting for the response from the military authorities to the Israeli […]
Dear Friends, As you all know, Palestinians are still counting their deaths and the injured people. It is very sad to see all this destruction in Gaza; still there is not an end to it. I am still on the farm with my family. We are following the news on daily basis from there but […]
Update From Daoud – July 22, 2014 My Dear Friends, Thanks so much for all your Emails, concerns and prayers. We are safe and staying on the farm for safety’s sake. It is a heavy time for us and especially for the people of Gaza. We are following the news daily, and we are seeing […]
Update From Daoud – June 19, 2014 Dear friends, Greetings from all of us at the Tent of Nations. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support. We are still receiving Emails, letters and phone calls from friends and people who are concerned about our situation. It is great to see how people […]
And the soldier’s child asked his soldier-father, “What did you do today, daddy?” His reply, “I drove a bulldozer today.” “Was it fun, daddy?” “Oh, yes – it was lots of fun!” “What did you do with the bulldozer, daddy?” “I helped dig a big pit in the ground of our enemy – helped knock […]
Spring 2011 Dear Friends – Greetings from the Tent of Nations! Once again here is a short update of our situation; what has been going on over the past few months and our future plans. It is sad to say that the news that is coming out from our region is still very bad. We […]
First, we want all of you to know that the Nassar family is well. They send their heartfelt thanks to all of you who offered up prayers on their behalf as well as for all the Palestinians living in Gaza during the recent assault. I know that prayers were also offered up for the Israelis […]