It is a pity that Palestine, which is the core issue for world peace, remained largely ignored in the presidential election debate in the United States. Neither President Barack Obama nor his rival, the Republican nominee Mitt Romney, discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and its possible solution which lies in restoring the rights of the Palestinian people and evacuation of Israel from their land which the latter continues to occupy in flagrant disregard of all laws and the Charter of the United Nations.

The deliberate neglect of this most important issue by the two main contenders for the American presidentship has been deeply felt in the Arab and Muslim world which they see as a success of the Israeli aggressors.

The Foreign Policy magazine reported Palestinian leader Hanan Ashrawi as saying that the lack of discussion about Israeli-Palestinian peace process was a 'sin of omission' Thanks to the influence of the Israeli lobby in the United States, the thinking in the State Department circles is that Israeli security is tied with the United States own. When the moderator at a foreign policy debate asked the two candidates, "would they consider calling an attack on Israel an attack on the United States", both of them tactfully avoided a direct answer.

This attitude is a far cry from president Obama's conciliatory gestures towards the Arab world at his famous but now forgotten speech at the Cairo University in 2009 in which he spelled out his vision of a two-state solution of Palestinian-Israeli dispute, and assured the Arabs that "the US never was, is and won't be at war Islam." Obama's overtures to the Arabs were not appreciated by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. That sent the Israeli lobby into top gear. Consequently, the US president beat a retreat. Not only the two-state proposal remained a non-starter, he could not even fulfill such small promises as shutting down the Guantanamo prison. All hopes for a solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict died down for the duration of president Obama's term of office. And if one can deduce it from the two presidential candidates' debate on foreign policy, there is no hope in the future either.

In fact, as of now, the two candidates are only vying with each other in pleasing the Israelis. As observed by the Arab League ambassador Dr. Clovis Maksoud, underlying their stance vis-a-vis the region was the two candidates' competition "as to who is closer to Israel's strategic role and interests in the region". The Associated Press correspondent noted "both men voiced heavy support for Israel's security in an apparent gesture to influence Jewish voters."

Meanwhile, Israel continues with its abominable activities against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. According to a UN agency report Israeli forces have killed 2300 Palestinians and injured 7,700 in Gaza over the last five years. Twenty seven percent fatalities were women and children. Israel also continues Gaza's blockade, which besides human casualties, has ruined the fragile economy of the small enclave; its exports have dropped to less than three percent compared to 2006, there is widespread unemployment and food insecurity, the fishermen and farmers have lost heavily due to the blockade.

Israel also continues with illegal colonization of Palestinian areas. Now about 500,000 more Israeli colonists have been living on the Palestinian land.

In short, it would be futile for the Palestinians and their supporters in the Arab and Muslim world to keep looking to the United States for a solution of their conflict with Israel. They must adopt an independent course of action to throw out the Israeli aggressors from their land and restore the rights of the Palestinians.

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