What Next for America?

By Louise Strait and Alison Wakelin
April 12, 2015

President Obama’s current stance in seeking peace and unity throughout the world is a true breath of fresh air after almost exclusive support of authoritarian regimes and their restrictive, even violent, policies on the part of recent American administrations.

We applaud Mr. Obama for having the clarity of thought and strength of his convictions  to reject Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempted post-election about-face with respect to his blatant declaration that there would never be a Palestinian state while he is in office. We respect his rejection of the values expressed in Netanyahu’s call to Jewish Israelis to come out to vote to counter the votes of Israel’s Arab citizens. And we look with amazement at a U.S. president who can attempt an agreement with America’s long-time nemesis, Iran.

We urge Mr. Obama towards a continuation of such clarity when it comes to future actions of the United States in the UN Security Council. No progress can be made towards our own policy, initially announced during the Lyndon Johnson administration, that settlement activity should be restricted if America continually caves in to Israel by vetoing any proposal that Israel dislikes.

The United States should make a clear statement in the UN by supporting a resolution that condemns settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, instead of essentially permitting them by vetoing all such bills. Even a simple abstention would be helpful because all other nations with veto power are in favor of finding a solution to the Palestinian trauma. There can be no real resolution of much of the current turmoil in the Middle East without addressing the ongoing occupation of the West Bank that has been prolonged for so long. We applaud this administration for stating, on March 23, that “an occupation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end, and the Palestinian people must have the right to live in and govern themselves in their own sovereign state.”

Our suggestion for a two-state solution makes room for many variations, as long as both sides engage with a serious resolve to find mutual agreement. For example, as stated here in the Citizens Proposal, Israel may keep some of the large settlement blocs and lease land in the Jordan Valley for security installations, providing some monetary compensation to Palestine. The international community could be involved in the administration of Jerusalem, as per the “Holy Basin” proposal mentioned here.

We would like to see America return to its roots as a haven for liberty and minimize its attachment to profit and control. These motivations are contributing to so much of the violence worldwide;  having filled the Middle East with American weapons, this country bears some responsibility. We pray that President Obama will remain steadfast in his belief, stated two years ago in Jerusalem, that peace is necessary, just, and possible, and that he will match his words with actions.