The Tent of Nations is an educational and environmental family farm a few kilometres from Bethlehem.
They have asked us to pray for them as a bulldozer and Israeli soldiers have been sent to the farm.
Retired priest, Owain Bell, visited the farm in 2017 and said:
“The farm, Al Daher’s Vineyard, is in the heart of the West Bank Area C. Approximately 40% of the land in this area is privately owned by Palestinians but huge areas have been appropriated for settlements which are more like cities. We were told there were about 325,000 Israeli settlers living in over 200 settlements and outposts in Area C.
There has been a long legal battle to protect the mountain top farm, with various attempts made to dislodge the family: from uprooting trees in 2014 to demolition orders in 2015 for tent frames, toilets and shelters and even the offer “of a blank cheque”!
The Nasser family are totally committed to what they call “a fourth” way. Not violent resistance. Not passive acceptance. Not quitting. But rather ‘a way of active, non – violent resistance. We refuse to be anybody’s enemies. We will resist and overcome the challenges not with negativity but with positivity’.
The refusal of this Christian family to speak of ‘enemies’ and their commitment to peaceful resistance is recognised internationally. For many of us it is a rare and beautiful beacon of hope.”
Owain has received a message from farm owner, Daoud Nasser, which reads:
“The Israeli Civil Administration came today in the morning to the farm with a bulldozer and accompanied by many Israeli soldiers. The bulldozer smashed the fence and drove through the land I recently cultivated for new trees: the same area where we had the fire [thought to be deliberately started]. The bulldozer crossed to the neighbour’s land and destroyed his olive trees. The bulldozer also destroyed 65 of our own trees. I have contacted the lawyer and he will appeal next week. Please keep us in your prayers.”
Please pray for the Tent of Nations farm, the Nasser family and all those facing ongoing violence in the Holy Land.
