I visited a project called the Tent of Nations earlier this year on a trip to the Israel and Palestine and met members of the family there that have lived on this beautiful land for over 100 years, with ownership papers dating back to the Ottoman Empire. They are an inspiring, peaceful family that run an educational farm, with summer camps for young people, teaching peace and reconciliation. Since 1991, the family have been battling in courts as the state of Israel are trying to claim their farm as “state land”. It’s one of the many sad stories I heard on my trip.
Despite the court case continuing, last week, military authorities uprooted 1,500 of their apricot and apple trees. Can you imagine the devastation this has for a family farm? The situation is absurd, unjust and makes my heart ache.
Feel free to read up on the situation if you want to learn more, and I ask that you stand by the Nassar family by signing this petition on Change.org:
To learn more:
BBC Magazine Article on Tent of Nations
Tent of Nations Website
Greenbelt Festival Call to Action for Petition and Letter writing