How many of you read the National Catholic Reporter? I’m going to tell you a story I read in the current issue. [NCR, Vol. 50, No.24, Sept. 12-25, 2014] It’s about a man and his family who live in an area outside of Bethlehem. His name is Daher Nassar, and his grandfather purchased land in that area in 1916 to build a farm for his family. At the time the area was part of the Ottoman Empire.
After the Ottoman Empire was defeated in World War I, the British took control, so the Nassars registered their land with the British. After World War II, the state of Israel was formed and the farm came under Jordanian control. They registered their land with Jordan. In 1967 Israel annexed the West Bank and the land became part of Israel. In the 70’s Jewish settlers began building towns on the hilltops of the West Bank and in the 80’s friction between Arab and Jewish neighbors escalated. The Nassar farm was vandalized several times. Water tanks, olive trees and other properties were targeted.
In 2002, 250 olive trees were destroyed. Considering that it takes 10 years for an olive tree to produce any fruit, this was a terrible loss for the family. But rather than retaliate or leave or wallow in their misery, the family decided to create a nonviolent resistance movement they call the Tent of Nations. (more…)