User:Louisthomas/Tent of Nations

Overview
The farm is named “Daher's Vineyard” after [Daoud Nasser's] grandfather who originally purchased the land in 1916. Nearly one hundred years later, his eight grandchildren exist in a vacuum of Jewish settlements, shadowed by the ever-encroaching [Separation Wall]. More recently, the Nassar’s neighbors have come to include two “unauthorized” settlement outposts, that are technically illegal and unsanctioned by the Israeli government. All around them, tensions simmer, yet they have managed to build a place where Israelis and Palestinians can meet together, joined by international groups from all over the world. They come together to perform plays, discuss freedom and, quite literally, sow seeds of peace by planting olive trees that will hopefully stand for centuries. On a rock at the entrance to the farm, Daoud has established his message in Arabic and translated into Hebrew, English and German: “We refuse to be enemies.”

The Nassar’s family property is next-up on Israeli settlement planners’ hit list. The [Gush Etzion] settlements have reached capacity for some 60,000 residents scattered amidst the twenty-two separate settlements and farming villages on the wrong side of the annexation barrier being erected between Israel and the West Bank. The Nassar farm has become a de facto part of the Jewish state. For their part, Israeli leaders want to formally annex the enclave. The Nassar family land, purchased in 1916 by Daoud Nassar’s grandfather during the reign of the [Ottoman Empire], is surrounded by Jewish settlements, checkpoints and a militarized eight meter wall and three layer fence system that isolates the [Palestinian Authority] from [Israel], proper.

Legal Troubles
The legal battle to preserve the land has been long and costly. Despite irrefutable proof of ownership of the land, the legal battle stretches back to 1991, when the [Israeli Military Court] initiated legal action to expropriate the land for settlement construction. The Nassar family has spent some $200,000 in legal fees to date, however, their case remains trapped in legal purgatory. The family has been faced with two options: wait for the IDF to make good on their demolition orders or continue their legal battle in front of the [Israeli Supreme Court] that has the power to authorize the land grab. The Nassars have been fighting these battles for years, and their fight has not come cheap. Legal technicalities change with breeze, and a dizzying variety of tactics have been employed by the Israeli government. There are have been multiple times when the financial burden seemed too heavy, that the legal maneuvering might be too cunning. However, the Nassars have been vigorously defending their land from confiscation for more than twenty years and maintain a seemingly bottomless store of desire to continue the fight. Despite numerous “blank-check” offers to part with the land, the Nassar’s have refused to sell or surrender their family’s legacy.

The Tent of Nations has expanded its mission beyond human interaction. It has become a model of self-sufficiency and environmental progress.Through the acknowledgement of environmental challenges as aspects of the conflict, the responsible stewardship of their physical property can advance the movement towards conflict management and the transformation of troubled relations to a more pacific understanding between neighbors. The Tent of Nations’ facilities are geared towards the ultimate goal of complete self-sufficiency for the Nassars, the farm’s volunteers and visitors. Two large water tanks on the roof of the main building collect the precious little rainwater the farm receives. This water is used to irrigate organic farming projects. The sustainable olive, pear and grape orchards are fertilized with with compost taken from leftover food. Solar panels have been added to provide the farm with electricity. The goal is two-fold. First of all, the Nassars’ water and electricity was long ago cut off by Israeli administration. Secondly, a sustainable harvest is essential to the survival of the farm. Under the current understanding, no Palestinian farm can remain fallow for longer than three years. Lacking a harvest, the Nassars would forfeit title.

Mission Goals
The Tent of Nations offers various educational, agricultural and vocational training programs throughout the year that are microcosmic of the larger reconciliation movement. Each program attempts to enlighten and empower people at the grass-roots level. Whether through offering local Muslim women English lessons with a native speaker or by hosting art classes for the village youth, Tent of Nations is permitting local Palestinians to take control of their situation and shed the veil of victimhood that has contaminated both sides of the conflict.

Daoud Nassar reiterates this theme when he says, “We want to educate people. Not preach to them. We focus on learning by doing.” It is easy to agree that peace is essential in order to end any particular conflict. But talking about the need for peace, and actively working towards achieving peace are two very different entities.

Some of the programs that Tent of Nations hosts include a reconciliation program that brings youths of various cultures together for one to one interaction in a camp setting. This program is offered for both international groups and local groups. They also offer a tree planting program that allows for a transnational dialogue between international and local participants over shared work. Their “Youth Exchange International Program” sends young people to different countries in order to attend youth camps, youth activities, and youth conferences. This program helps local youth broaden their international perspective in conjunction by meeting peers from distant countries and cultures. The Nassars have also developed a vocational training seminar that teaches local women of the village, through a series of workshops, basic professionalization, language and computing skills. This program empowers local participants through the provision of necessary skills, to improve their economic means, while increasing their own self-realization and confidence.