The surest way to make a problem a conflict is by embracing the attitude that only your view matters. When any party refuses to accept any view but its own, peaceful resolution of differences becomes impossible. The problem is exacerbated when those differences feed the anger, hate and distrust of both sides. This is relevant with respect to our US Congress and the Middle East Conflict.

Here are some facts. Israel has demolished more than 18,000 Palestinian homes since 1967. Last year it demolished 107 Palestinian homes in the West Bank alone. According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights hundreds of Palestinians have died at Israeli checkpoints in previous years due primarily to denial of travel and an inability to reach timely medical care.

The walls and barriers in the West Bank do not merely separate Palestinians and Jews -- they limit Palestinian movement, access to work, basic resources, trade and business. Unemployment in the West Bank hovers at 23% versus 7.3% in Israel. More than 10,000 Palestinians are estimated to be in Israeli prisons, hundreds held without trial and many deprived of family visits. Israel has barred Palestinians from suing Israel for death, injury, civil rights abuses or damages caused by Israeli security. Israeli Defense Forces admit their killing of Palestinians is investigated only under “exceptional" circumstances.

Amnesty International reports some Palestinians in the West Bank receive less than 20 Liters of water per day, while the average Jewish settler gets 300 Liters/day. Palestinians in occupied territories have no legal voice or rights comparable to Israelis.

The US Congress has responded to these conditions in the last 10 years with a singular view. Last week, the US House passed HR 838 telling Obama and Clinton to oppose the Goldstone report critical of Israel's Gaza war. Earlier this year Congress passed HR 34 stating Palestinians in Gaza were wholly responsible for the conflict with Israel. The more than 1,500 Palestinian deaths --many of them women and children -- from that conflict was merely a reaffirmation of Israel's right to defend itself.

HR 557 this year condemned the UN Human Rights Council for placing Israel human rights abuses and its treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories on their permanent agenda. In July of 2004 HR 213 complained of misuse of the International Court of justice for political purposes because it decided to address the legality of the Gaza and West Bank walls enclosing Palestinian people.

Congress has been unequivocal in finding Palestinians at fault for the problems. HR 1069 condemned Hamas for its hateful TV programming. HR 951 condemned Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilians. In July 2006, HR 415 condemned terrorist attacks against Israel and reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself. In February 2006, HR 79 stated no Palestinian Authority could be provided direct US support if its majority called for the destruction of Israel. In December 2005, HR 575 stated Hamas should not be allowed to participate in elections held by the Palestinian Authority. In March 1999, H.Con.Res.24, submitted by Arizona Rep. Matt Salmon, with 280 co-sponsors, stated Congressional opposition to any unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.

Not one bill introduced in the US House in the last 10 years has ever found Israel at fault for any problem in the Middle East. The House has never criticized Israel even once for violation or abuse of human or civil rights of Palestinians, for denial of their political or legal rights, illegal detention, restriction of their right to free movement, deplorable living conditions, harassment or persecution, illegal arrests, violation of their human dignity or the deaths of Palestinian civilians. By this inaction, the US Congress has provided its tacit approval of Israeli treatment of Palestinians.

Meanwhile, Congress has shown great sensitivity for Israel and Jewish people as reflected in no less than 18 different House Resolutions in the last 10 years supportive of Israel and Jewish views. Not a single House Resolution in this time has suggested support of Palestinian rights, freedoms, justice or equality. The outcome of such a myopic view is predictable. The US Congress has approved the Israeli course in the Middle East. A course based on maps of this region showing territories occupied or controlled by Israel to be well advanced toward total annexation.

Congress has approved Israeli expansion and control of the occupied territories, their annexation of Jerusalem (Senate bill 1322, 1995) and collateral slaughter of any Palestinians associated with those who would resist Israel by force. If history is a guide, the US Congress will approve the sale of more weapons to Israel to kill any or all Palestinians who dare to pick up a stone andfight back.

Hezbollah arose from the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians after the 1949 and 1967 wars that expanded the borders of Israel and forced Palestinians out of Israel into Lebanon. Millions more displaced Palestinians will be kicked out of their homes as Israel continues its expansion into the West Bank for “natural growth,” and this will merely swell the ranks of current angry displaced Palestinians.

Peace, reconciliation and understanding do not result from denying human rights, intolerance and imposition of oppressive living conditions. By encouraging Israel's present path that feeds the hatred and conflict in the region, the US Congress seals the future for all who live there.

Will Palestinians displaced from their homeland, witness to the slaughter of family and relatives by US-made missiles and bullets, daily humiliation by the Israeli Defense --see the US as anything other than benefactor, supporter, enabler and patron saint of a hated and despised enemy? Will any see the tepid efforts at peace by sequential prior US administrations as anything but cover for the far more consistent and heavy handed support of Israel by a US Congress already enshrined by its multiple resolutions and support for Israel's ultimate solution to the Palestinian issue? What then will protect the US public from the hate, anger, retribution and terrorism these outcomes will inevitably produce later?

Peace has its benefits and failure has its costs. Anger, hate and revenge stroked to the point of conflict and war are not easily calmed until they have exacted their price in death, destruction and suffering. No one has to agree with terrorism to understand how it developed the deep roots that sustain its growth. Andwe encourage these roots by facilitating a process that feeds thehate, anger, suffering, injustice and neglect we blindly support with Congressional approval of the killing, displacement, subjugation and oppression of one group by another.

What then will be the epitaph of countless innocent US civilians in the future? Will they be killed because no one bothered to question, care or demand answers to these problems untilit was too late to make a difference, or it had becometoo difficult to correct them? Certainly no correction or peace will ever be possible if all we see is a single, limited perspective of the problem.