Bethlehem District Threatened by Land Confiscation in the West Bank
Settlement expansion planned for expropriated land

Monday, November 24, 2014
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
2168 Rayburn House Office Building

Sponsored By:
Friends of Wadi Foquin 
General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) of the United Methodist Church 
U.S. Campaign to End the Occupation 
Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace (PCAP) 
Faith Forum on Middle East Policy

For more information and/or to RSVP please contact:
Mike Coogan at [email protected]

Four days after the ceasefire took effect in Gaza late this summer, Israel announced it would expropriate 1,000 acres of Palestinian land in the Bethlehem district of the West Bank. The land annexation is intended for settlement expansion in violation of international law, which prohibits such actions in occupied territories. The area is currently in agricultural use by five Palestinian villages—Wadi Foquin, Husan, Nahalin, Surif, and Jab’a—supporting families and a rural way of life as it has for many generations. This action was foreshadowed a year ago, when residents of Wadi Foquin travelled to Washington D.C. to describe the existential threat expanding settlements posed to their homes, their families, and their livelihood. Since 1967 every U.S. administration has opposed the settlements and has viewed settlement expansion as a major obstacle to peace in the region. The U.S. State Department has strongly urged Israel to reverse this latest action of land expropriation. The briefing will provide members with general information on the settlement enterprise and the specific impact of this latest action on Wadi Foquin and neighboring villages in the West Bethlehem district.

Speakers:
• Mr. Ata Manasra, Coordinator, Wadi Foquin CDP
• Mr. Ahmad Sukar, Mayor and Village Council President of Wadi Foquin
• Mr. Adel Hroub, Youth Coordinator, Wadi Foquin CDP

On August 31, 2014, Israel issued land confiscation orders annexing 1,000 acres of Palestinian land in the West Bethlehem district of the West Bank for expansion of settlement development.   

Ahmad Sokar, Mayor of Wadi Foquin
Will speak on the resolve of his village to retain the rights to their homeland 

11/15   Sacramento Japanese UMC at 2 p.m.
6929 Franklin Blvd., Sacramento 

11/16   Wayside UMC at 11 a.m.
2309 Columbus Parkway, Vallejo
            
11/17   First UMC Santa Rosa at 7 p.m.
2150 Giffen Ave., Santa Rosa 
 
11/18   Easter Hill UMC at 6 p.m.
3911 Cutting Blvd., Richmond

11/19   Arab Cultural & Community Center at 7 p.m.
2 Plaza St., San Francisco

11/20   Wesley UMC at 7 p.m.
566 N. 5th St., San Jose 

11/21  UC Berkeley – Students for Justice in Palestine at 8 p.m.
Moffit 201 on UC Campus

Sponsors: Friends of Wadi Foquin; Cal-Nevada United Methodist Church Israel-Palestine Task Force, 
Advocacy & Justice Committee, and Conference UMW; and NorCal Friends of Sabeel

Affirming Life in the
Face of Occupation
A night of dance, poetry, and testimony
in support of Wadi Foquin

featuring Al-Juthoor Dabke Troupe SF, poet Lorene Zarou-Zouzounis,
performing artist Coke Tani, guest of honor Wadi Foquin Mayor
Ahmad Sokar, and dinner by Dyar Mediterranean Cuisine

When:          Saturday, Nov. 22, 6–8pm; doors open at 5:30pm
Where:         Lake Merritt United Methodist Church, Oakland
Tickets:       $50/person* or $300/table of 7 (tables can accommodate 8 upon request)
Contact Aleki Simiele at [email protected] or Jean Hart at [email protected] Please specify number of tickets and whether you will require any vegetarian entrées.

Parking: Limited underground garage parking is available at 1330 Lakeshore Avenue, the main entrance to the church. More spaces are available in a small lot at 1255 First Avenue (the rear entrance) and on the street.
Childcare: Available upon request. 
Donations: Direct donations to the village can be made at www.umcmission.org (Advance project #3021565); or through Buena Vista United Methodist Church, 2311 Buena Vista Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501 (make checks payable to BVUMC with WFCDP in the memo line).

* No one turned away for lack of funds.

This event is sponsored by Friends of Wadi Foquin and churches in the Berkeley-Oakland-Albany and Oakland-Alameda circuits of the United Methodist Church. It is the culminating event of a bicoastal speaking tour leading up to a congressional briefing on Nov. 24. Proceeds will help fund community development projects in Wadi Foquin as part of a village campaign to retain rights to land and life in their historic homeland.