Clinton admits Israel-Palestine conflict is major cause of terror

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, speaking in Cairo, made a remark on the Israel-Palestine conflict that his fellow Americans should pay close attention to. He said that settling the conflict would "take about half the impetus in the whole world — not just the region, the whole world — for terror away." It is remarkable to hear a former president of the United States admit that this issue is the major cause of Islamic terrorism. I use the word "admit" advisedly — he is in effect saying that those responsible for the failure to resolve the conflict are also responsible for 9/11, and his country holds a great deal of responsibility for that failure.

Clinton blames the Israelis and the Palestinians for not settling the issue, specifically along the lines of the version of the Oslo accords that he authored in 2000. But he overlooks a few simple facts. The U.S. unequivocally supports Israel, and while Israel has little reason to negotiate, the Palestinians have no leverage to negotiate. The Israelis steal more land every day and more effectively sequester the Palestinians every day with no more than token opposition from the U.S. Meanwhile, the Americans continue to supply Israel with more aid than they provide any other country in the world, much of it in the form of weapons. Until they exploit this largesse to do some serious arm-twisting with Israel, the chances of an equitable settlement are slim indeed.

Meanwhile, the conflict continues to generate hostility to the United States throughout the Middle East and, as Clinton admits, acts as a major recruiting tool for organizations such as al-Qaeda. And the United States responds by spending more on arms than it can afford, waging foreign wars that generate even more hostility, and living in a state of paranoia. Yes, indeed, the Americans would do well to seriously reflect on the ex-president's remarks.