US Consulate in Jerusalem and "Palestine"

The United States Consulate in Jerusalem has been busy.

For example, you can find this event at Facebook (if you are a recipent) and here it is reproduced:

The band's website has it so:

I checked and Native Deen describes itself so:-

The story of Native Deen is an inspiring one that began with three Muslim youth possessing unique talents and a passion to spread the uplifting message of Islam. Originally solo artists and active participants of their communities searching for creative ways to educate and inspire Muslim youth, today Native Deen has become a fusion of Hip-hop and R&B flavors...in order to highlight issues confronting Muslims living in America.

These three young African-American men who were raised as Muslims...Drawing their own inspiration from the message of Islam, Native Deen's music calls listeners to keep the faith, to live better lives, and to NOT succumb to the pressures and temptations of modern society. Native Deen uses only percussion instruments, inline with the majority Muslim opinion on the use of musical instruments...Their music and positive message have been embraced by people of all ages and backgrounds, from Islamic clerics to non-Muslims.

This visit, arranged by the Consulate who, I presume is participating financially in the 'entertainment and cultural event', which is marked by the band as:

NATIVE DEEN IN PALESTINE
When: Monday, February 14th 2011 � 8:00pm
Where: Al Hakawati Theatre in East Jerusalem
Contact: bookings@nativedeen.com
Contact the Al Hadawati theatre for more details.

"Palestine"?  Is that a country?

In Arabic, it looks like this.

The US Consulate in Jerusalem sponsors many events, all of them, as far as I can see, for the Arab population of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem (the band will also be performing in Al-Hakawati Theater.)  Like the launch of a new environmental initiative in partnership with An Najah University and a press roundtable discussion with USAID Mission Director Michael Harvey.  In late January, U.S. Consulate General’s Public Affairs Officer Frank Finver hosted a reception at his residence for 50 guests last night to display the artwork of two prominent West Bank-based Palestinian artists, Hosni Radwan and Mohamed Saleh.


I think this is admirable work.  I just think that over 300,000 Jews who reside in the same territory are discriminated against in that we do not merit any similar cultural, artistic, entertainment events.  That discrimination is ethnically-charged and religiously grounded.

Not only that, but in consistently ignoring the Jewish population, the US Consulate is avoiding what peace in the region is: coexistence.  Essentially, this direction of staging events is predicated on separation (did I hear 'apartheid'?) and encourages local Arabs to assume that once some sort of peace is in place, the Jews will be nowhere found.  Jews weren't there when these events took place and they surely won't be there when some form of political administration assumes full control.  And that will be "Palestine" which the Consulate is promoting.

President Obama is on record for an independent state of Palestine but it doesn't yet exist.  There's "Palestinian Authority Territory", there's "West Bank", there's "Palestinian-administrated territory" as terms for use.  But Consulate-General Daniel Rubinstein, there's no "Palestine".

^