FRIENDS OF WADI FOQUIN
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About Friends of Wadi Foquin
    • About Wadi Foquin
  • PROJECTS
    • BeeHive Project
    • Youth Leadership
    • Women's Initiative
    • Community Center
    • Come and See Exposure Trips
  • CHALLENGES
    • Damaged Water Supply
    • Damaged Food Supply and Food Production
    • Land Confiscation and Displacement
    • Transportation Inequality and Restriction of Movement
  • ADVOCACY
    • 2016 Tour
    • 2014 Tour
    • 2013 Tour
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • ARCHIVE
    • News >
      • May 2018
      • April 2018: Threading Peace
      • Nov. 2017: Capitol Hill Briefing to be held in November on Settlement Expansion
      • August 2017: Netanyahu endorses Betar Illit expansion
      • January 2017: Interfaith Muslim Solidarity Dinner
      • June-July 2016 News
      • Feb 2016: Briefing Report & News
      • Feb. 2016: Briefing announcement
      • Nov. 2015: Report on Wadi Foquin
      • Sept. 2015: Children Denied Soccer Field
      • June 2015: Farmland Destroyed in the Village
      • Sept. 2013 Newsletter
    • Media & Endorsements
    • Solidarity Selfies
  • Announcement
  • Lee & Price Letter
  • New Page
  • Lee & Price Letter

​JUNE–JULY 2016 NEWS


General Conference passes resolution on Wadi Foquin
A resolution brought forward by Friends of Wadi Foquin was approved by the General Conference of the United Methodist Church last month at the quadrennial meeting of the worldwide church in Portland, Oregon. The resolution, titled “Destruction of Land and Life in Wadi Foquin,” calls for the General Conference to write to Secretary of State John Kerry, President Barack Obama, State Department officials, the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, and the Israeli Civil Authority and:
  • inform them of our United Methodist relationship with the village of Wadi Foquin and our concerns over the confiscation of land and destruction of life in the village;
  • call on U.S. officials to contact the Israeli government to immediately halt the expansion of illegal settlements and confiscation of Palestinian land, in accordance with official U.S. policy; and
  • call for accountability from the Israeli government for the destruction of land and life.
 
Friends of Wadi Foquin endorses Rep. McCollum's call for Special Envoy
Friends of Wadi Foquin referenced the General Conference resolution in its endorsement of an initiative by Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) calling for the appointment of a Special Envoy to look into and protect Palestinian children who suffer from the increased expansion of the illegal settlements and disproportionate violence experienced under the Israeli military occupation. With its endorsement, FWF joins many organizational supporters of this initiative. For the full text of Rep. McCollum’s letter, click here. To read our endorsement, click here. 
 
Tel Aviv killings turn up the heat in the village
Following the attack at an Israeli market in Tel Aviv in early June, there has been an increased military presence throughout the West Bank, including a regular presence in Wadi Foquin. Two villagers aged 21 and 23 were arrested and held without charge. They were released after paying fines.
 
Soccer field opens for use
The village has completed walls for the soccer field and recently began opening the field for use during Ramadan. Lights have been installed for evening activity. The people are very excited and happy about the field and the opportunity to play on it. This is the fruit of the partnership with Friends of Wadi Foquin and the United Methodist Church. The village is waiting for government resources to install the grass. An NGO from Sweden has agreed to help expand the park next to the soccer field. Thus far, there have been no actions by the Israeli Civil Authority to stop the activity on the field.
 
USAID road improvements remain to be seen
The Wadi Foquin village council received word that work on road improvements would begin in mid-July. The only problem is that the roads are located in Area C and USAID policy does not allow for road construction in Area C. We will have to wait and see what happens.
 

 
 

Wadi Foquin speakers on tour in Northern California 

Friends of Wadi Foquin is hosting Ata Manasra and Adel Hroub from Wadi Foquin from July 26 to August 16. Ata is the coordinator of the Narjes Community Development Program, and Adel is the youth coordinator for the project. They will provide us with updates on the challenges of Palestinian life in the village and larger West Bank as well as community development projects that need our support. For an itinerary of their speaking dates, please click here.
Below, top photo: Ata Manasra (right) with Janet Lahr Lewis, former United Methodist missionary to Israel and Palestine. They often co-lead tours of the Holy Land that include visits to Wadi Foquin. Bottom photo: Adel Hroub (far left) with graduates of a first aid course offered to Wadi Foquin youth through the community development program.
Picture
Picture
For a recap of the February 2016 congressional briefing, please click here.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.