Last week, President George W. Bush visited Jerusalem and declared that Israel must end its occupation of the Palestinian territory it took in the 1967 Six Day War, as well as pay reparations to Palestinian refugees displaced by the Arab-Israeli Conflict.

During the Six Day War, Israel preemptively attacked Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq, destroying the Egyptian Air Force and occupying the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula. Israel has since returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, and the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians, but the West Bank and Golan Heights—which are predominantly Palestinian areas—remain in Israeli hands.

The President’s statements shocked many as the United States has been a constant supporter of Israel, in both money and materiel, often at the expense of the Palestinians. Many have criticized the United States for its unquestioning support of Israel and turning a blind-eye to Israeli excesses when dealing with Palestinian militants. Many in the West see the President’s statement as the first step toward a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has existed in the region for the last 60 years.

Unfortunately, these people are mistaken. While at the surface it appears that the President’s statements go against the United States’ traditional support of Israel, it would be folly to believe that it was made without at least a conversation between U.S. and Israeli policy makers to coordinate their positions. The president also met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders separately before he made the aforementioned statement. Can one realistically believe that neither party was consulted about the President’s intended remarks?

In reality, it is highly unlikely that the United States would be willing to forsake Israel’s interests in favor of a Palestinian authority that is facing catastrophic internal conflict, as well as economic collapse, unless the Israeli government was already prepared to make these concessions. We must not forget that, for the last five years, the Israeli Defense Force has been forcibly removing Jewish settlers from outposts in the Gaza Strip and West Bank; actions which have been unpopular among the Israeli people. If the prediction mentioned above is correct, then the removal of Israeli forces from the West Bank, and the paying of reparations to Palestinian refugees, is simply the next step in a larger trend of the creation of an autonomous Palestinian territory.

Any attempt at a resolution to the conflict will be tenuous at best. This is not new territory for the Arab or the Israeli diplomats. Over the last few decades, Israel has attempted to appease the Palestinians with multiple attempts to concede land. Neither side can come to terms with each other.

During the 2000 Camp David Summit, Ehud Barak, the Israeli Prime Minister, offered the largest concession ever made to the Palestinians, offering all of the Gaza Strip and 73 percent of the West Bank, to extend to 90 percent in 10 years. Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, refused to negotiate unless Jerusalem was put on the table. Negotiations broke down immediately.

Though all leaders involved may desperately want to end the conflict and subscribe to the “Two State Plan,” the divisions between Israelis and Palestinians are too great, and the suspicions too deep.

In its coverage of the President’s trip to the Middle East, the BBC interviewed Israeli and Palestinian people to find out their views. The overwhelming similarity between the two groups is that although they wish for peace, they do not trust the other. And therein lies the problem.

As long as the mutual suspicion persists, and extremists are willing to kill and die, the conflict will continue. Both sides will continue to cite the most recent atrocity to legitimize their own, and the spiral of violence will continue to fuel itself.

While President Bush’s plan may offer a glimmer of hope, the fact still remains to be that the Palestinian and Israeli people are not truly willing to do what is needed to achieve peace.

Columnist: Bryan Ray - 01/16/07