Washington must recognize the moment. The Biden administration has attempted to play “quiet diplomacy” with Israel in the hopes of avoiding a rupture, but this strategy was always doomed to fail. Any approach that utilizes increasingly toothless peace and security rhetoric without a political process, which Israel and the United States continue to say is not viable, is doomed to lead to violence as Palestinians face daily raids, deaths, poverty, and no state. Hoping that an outbreak of additional (and worse) violence does not occur even as the U.S. government does its utmost to defend Israel and the current status quo will neither support U.S. interests nor aid in peace and stability. It will only leave the region a powder keg set to ignite at any moment.

Alexander Langlois is a foreign policy analyst focused on the Middle East and North Africa. He holds an M.A. in International Affairs from American University’s School of International Service. Follow him at @langloisajl.

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