While the U.S. continues to see itself as the world's policeman and mediator, perhaps the best idea is for America to remove itself from the Arab-Israeli struggle. The fact remains that it was the victorious Allies, at the end of World War II who, in a feeling of guilt because of the Holocaust literally "gave" Palestine to the Jews, displacing Arabs who had lived there for generations, and considered it not only their homeland, but rightfully and legally, theirs. If we were to believe in that ancient clichT that possession is nine-tenths of the law, the Palestinian Arabs would have a good reason to complain of being "robbed" of the land on which they have lived.
The Bush administration, having won the election with the support of American Muslim organizations, may concentrate its foreign policy more on economic, rather than religious or political grounds. The victory of Israeli's right wing at the upcoming election will make the "peace process" even more difficult. Oil may well be the deciding factor in giving the Palestinians, supported by other Arab nations, more impact in U.S. foreign policy.
U.S. foreign policy has always regarded Israel as a state that needs American protection, at least financially and morally, if not with troops. Yet, U.S. foreign policy has continued to consider Palestine, and then Israel, a priority. Why? One reason is purely American politics: American Jews vote in a larger percentage than any other similar ethnic or religious group. At the same time, the oil-producing Arab nations of the Middle East (and beyond) demand, and deserve American attention for only one reason: their supply of oil. It seems obvious that foreign policy of the U.S. is still skewed toward Israel, with billions of dollars in aid, and the need for American administration to curry favor with the Jewish voters, who tend to vote in larger numbers, percent-wise, than any other segment of the American population. But, t...