On one hand, there are in the United States and Europe fish to fry on the international and domestic arenas that are bigger than Israel and Palestine. Taking into account Russia and Syria, Russia and Ukraine, and Iranian involvements in Syria and the larger Middle East frame out a bigger picture. Will sustaining this precarious post-Trump moment against authoritarianism and around principles of liberal democracy contribute to a rhetorical and political de-escalation between the “pro Israel” and “pro Palestine” communities. These would be better frames than the Manicheanism that constitutes the total oppositional posturing around this one tiny conflict.

On the other hand, a more robust and confident consolidation of Europe, an example of what devastating boycotts, divestments, and sanctions actually look like, and the greater sense of the possible, both positive and negative, should hearten and challenge anyone dedicated to a fair outcome and a two-state-solution outcome to the conflict between Israel and Palestine and the occupation of the West Bank, the possibility that the international community including regional partners in the Middle East will impose their will on both of the two parties to the conflict based on liberal democratic principles like self-determination and mutual recognition.