The rampant obstructionism of the Palestine/Israel peace process by extremists on both sides is cynical, xenophobic, and morally reprehensible. But moral outrage is just as wrong for the debate as partisan politics or religious conviction.  Americans must recognize that facilitating the resolution of the Middle East conflict is a fundamental matter of our own national security.  

The fight over the Holy Land evokes deep-seated emotions in Americans. Supporters of both sides invoke the provocative imagery of apartheid or the Bible and dredge up thousands of years of history and slinging accusations of war crimes. The danger of such hysterical debate is that it draws attention away from the most immediate effect of the conflict on the average American: it spawns terrorists.  Most Arabs see American complicity in the repeated postponement of a viable Palestinian state. This perceived one-sidedness translates into anger, which becomes a potent recruiting tool for those who lure young men with no avenues for political expression into the business of killing Americans.

This perspective is finally starting to gain some cultural momentum, thanks in part to General David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, who said: “The [Israeli/Palestinian] conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel. Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples in the [Middle East] and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilize support. The conflict also gives Iran influence in the Arab world through its clients, Lebanese Hezbollah and Hamas.”  In other words, the first front in the war on terror is the diplomatic one between Israel and Palestine.  Over the course of the last decade, American armed forces have gotten wiser about the way they prosecute the war on terror.  It’s encouraging to see phrases like “shock and awe” give way to “hearts and minds.” As we realize that what we’re really trying to destroy is anti-American sentiment, we will focus more on building schools, providing services, and listening to our moderate Iraqi and Afghan partners. There is a growing recognition that military force will have no lasting effect against terrorism until the grievances that cause it are removed.

President Obama seems to understand this better than any American president in recent history.  But even when he rightly condemned Israel’s recent announcement regarding building more Jewish settlements in Palestinian East Jerusalem, Congress—which controls America’s purse strings—still welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu with open arms on his most recent visit.  Ultimately, for American diplomatic pressure to have any teeth, it must carry the weight of not only the president, but of Congress—and of the American people who elect Congressmen and women.  With healthcare off his back, Obama can devote more political capital to the establishment of a Palestinian state, another of his foremost stated goals.  But it will require convincing Americans that Palestine is important enough to write their representatives, much like he did with the healthcare reform bill.  And that will require showing Americans that peace in Palestine is a matter of American national security.

However, while the creation of a Palestinian state is a necessary and important first step, it’s not the ultimate solution to terrorism. While it would remove one of the primary grudges potential terrorists hold against America, violent extremism in the Middle East has its deepest roots in the resentment its people harbor toward the corrupt, repressive regimes who rule there—often with tacit U.S. support.  In the end, terrorism will only be contained (if never fully eradicated) when all countries become free, open societies where people have prospects for education, employment, and expression.  A democratic Palestine could give the region a good example, as could a democratic Iraq and Afghanistan.  But it’s still a massive project.  Seen in this larger context, peace between Israel and Palestine looks like the easy part.

Wayne is a senior studying economics.