US Jlm Consulate Supports BDS Promoters

Last week, I pointed out that finally, the United States Jerusalem Consulate had included an Israeli group in one of its programs of culture rather than shunning them, as per its usual discriminatory policies (I wasn't aware that the group had been supported by the Consulate since 2008 or so).

I was premature in my joy.

As a sharp-eyed viewer alerted me, the group, Heartbreak, seems to be pro-BDS.

Besides radical lyrics:

one of the members is wearing a T-shirt with a unique logo:

Where can you find that logo?

There at the site of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.

Do they see themselves as part of this initiative:

Note what the arrow is pointing to:

Aaron Shneyer, the group's founder, had published in Commonground in 2008 this:

We need a cultural revolution. We wait too long to governments and armies to bring peace and security. Fear and mistrust against the other fill our being. Good people, love - peace, Israelis and Palestinians are convinced that there is no partner for peace. Many of them are not aware that every Israeli and every Palestinian is the power to shape the future. Artists as well as for communication has a tremendous ability to help build bridges of trust and human despite the political and social barriers that separate us now. For our future, we must eliminate the hidden wall that separates us too long. Herein lies our strength.

If we can harness the power of music, so I thought, to make connections between the Israeli and Palestinian musicians young people can also build trust among the masses. A year ago I started the project "Heartbeat Jerusalem" (Heartbeat: Jerusalem) assisted by MTV and Fulbright U.S. State Department. Project goal was to harness the power of music to build trust between Israelis and Palestinians by establishing an ensemble of musicians young Israelis and Palestinians.

During the two months I met with Conservatory Director and principal of a school that I could find. Most supported the project wholeheartedly but there were also a number of Palestinian educators strongly opposed the meeting between young Palestinians and Israelis seem to present them as equals. Palestinian educators worried encounter with the "enemy" marks the current situation is normal for young people. They insisted that such programs harmful than they are helpful and they will hurt the national struggle and present the occupation as normal if they "wash the brain" young love your enemy. But it is just the opposite is true: continue to fight and continue to hate lead to normalization. To end the occupation and to put an end to terrorism, to all the people from the river to the sea will enjoy security, justice and freedom - the people on both sides to learn to trust each other. Without mutual trust we discuss ourselves to fight forever.

Shneyer can be seen here at a rally to "end the siege on Gaza".

and you can read here more on the group.  And here is his rationale.

So, what type of "peace" are they singing about?

Is the Consulate fully apprised about all this?

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