The official website of Goshen, Ind., appears to recognize an independent state of “Palestine,” and after JNS sought comment from the city, a spokesman said that there was no policy one way or another but didn’t suggest that the city would amend the page.
Goshen, which has a population of about 34,500, lists “Palestine” in a dropdown menu in a “contact” portion of its website.
JNS asked the city if it recognizes “Palestine” or if it understands the state of Indiana or the United States to do so.
“The city of Goshen has no policy regarding the matter you’ve raised,” Michael Wanbaugh, the city’s director of administration and community relations, told JNS.
The dropdown menu reference to “Palestine” seems “to show a standard country/region selection list used within a website form,” he said. (JNS sought comment from the Indiana governor’s office.)
“Those lists are typically generated by third-party software and are not intended to reflect or communicate city policy or positions on international matters,” he said.
