Biden Administration Offers $100,000 to Palestinian Groups that Promote ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’
President Joe Biden’s Department of State will make a $100,000 grant available for Palestinian organizations that promote “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,” the administration announced last week.
The U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs (U.S. OPA) opened its American Palestinian Arts, Culture, and Sports Initiative on May 3 to “improve American-Palestinian relations and create greater opportunities for mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation.”
As the program’s description explains:
The American Palestinian Arts, Culture, and Sports Initiative is designed to partner with American and/or Palestinian non-profit organizations to implement activities which advance the applicant’s goals and the U.S.OPA mission, including but not limited to building Palestinian institutions, both governmental and non-governmental, that effectively address the needs and aspirations of the Palestinian people and building a prosperous Palestinian economy, led by a thriving private sector, that provides equitable and inclusive economic opportunities and improves daily life for Palestinians.
Organizations will be considered for the grant if they “enhance employability, entrepreneurship, and/or careers of artists, creatives, arts, cultural and sports professionals,” or if they “positively address issues of conflict resolution, mental health, resiliency, or trauma therapy through arts, culture, and/or sports.”
However, “Special consideration will be given to proposals that demonstrate how the program advances diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or accessibility with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and/or disability.”
The grant will be open until June 4.
Notably, the grant comes amid increased terror attacks in Israel at the hands of Palestinian assailants.
Last month, Palestinian terrorists killed three people and wounded at least six others during a terror attack on Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site.
Former U.S. Agency for International Development deputy administrator Bonnie Glick believes it would be better to withhold funding for Palestine to incentivize the government to end its support for terrorism.
“The timing of the release of the grant opportunity is a bit tone deaf,” Glick told the Washington Free Beacon. “Withholding funds … might allow Palestinian leaders to rethink their priorities and control, rather than incite, their restive population.”
However, the State Department defended the grant, calling it a “critical part of diplomatic outreach.”
“Our Office of Palestinian Affairs is focused on engagement with and outreach to Palestinians, including through cultural affairs grants,” a State Department spokesperson told the Washington Free Beacon. “Investing in civil society and people-to-people ties is a critical part of diplomatic outreach and efforts to promote peace, and even more imperative at times of heightened tensions.”
Jordan Dixon-Hamilton is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jdixonhamilton@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter.
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