Tent of Nations (West Bank)

The Tent of Nations is the Nasser family farm, located south-west of Bethlehem, and Amos Trust’s newest partner.

Although we have been visiting the farm for 20 years and are long-term friends with Daoud Nasser and his family, we formalised this partnership—alongside UK Friends of Tent of Nations—because of the ongoing and intensifying challenges they face:

• crowding out by new settlement outposts

• crop destruction

• restricted access

• a never-ending series of legal challenges and threats of annexation

Background

The Tent of Nations sits on a hilltop near the Palestinian village of Nahalin in Area C of the West Bank — land under full Israeli control. It is just a few kilometres south-west of Bethlehem, in a region designated by Israel for the illegal Gosh Etzion settlement block.

The Nasser family bought the farm in 1916 and, uniquely, registered all the land with the Ottoman authorities. They continued to register it with subsequent rulers — the British (1919–48), Jordanians (1948–67) and the Israeli administration (1967–present) — ensuring their legal ownership was documented.

The struggle to remain

In 1991, Israel declared the farm ‘State Land’ for the Gosh Etzion settlement, claiming the Nasser family had no right to be there. Since then, the authorities have employed a variety of strategies to deprive them of their land:

• harassment and intimidation, primarily by settlers, along with demolition orders against farm structures including tents

• isolation through roadblocks and gates, surrounding the farm with settlements and roads built on their land

• offers of cash to relinquish ownership

The family has faced enormous legal challenges, including repeated land surveys, testimonies from neighbours, appeals to the Israeli Supreme Court and prolonged postponements at every stage.

What makes Tent of Nations exceptional is its:

• Location 
  The only remaining Palestinian hilltop farm in the area.

• Commitment to nonviolence
  Symbolised by the stone at the farm entrance stating, “We refuse to be Enemies”.

• Community and education focus
  The family uses the farm to educate local children and host international visitors, who in turn act as advocates and a protective presence.

Our response

Amos Trust works alongside UK Friends of Tent of Nations to:

• Support the family’s legal fees

• Help process the harvest despite roadblocks

• Enable volunteers to spend 1–3 months on the farm

If you want to learn more about volunteering on the Tent of Nations farm, please get in touch.

To find out more about Tent of Nations, please watch our short film →