The American population knows that there has been a conflict in the Middle East for a number of years, but many people do not know the reasons behind the fight and what solutions are trying to be made to fix the issues overseas. Two main issues happening today are the conflicts between Israel and Palestine, and the Syrian government against the rebels.

"[The Palestinians] would be crushed like grasshoppers ... heads smashed against the boulders and walls,” said Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir in 1988.

The conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians dates all the way back to 1922, when the struggle for power and land was evident even then and would proceed for many decades. The two countries began getting violent in the early 2000’s and have yet to reach ultimate peace.

“September 2000… For a few months at the beginning of this campaign the Palestinians used crowds of civilians armed with rocks and firebombs, with snipers backing them up, and often with children in the front, to attack Israeli border guards or other targets… most of the victims were civilians, frequently women, children, and old people,” said Max Singer.

Israelis had to fight back, which led into many years of back and forth terrorist attacks by both countries. Palestinians argue that the terrorist attacks by the Israeli’s were never justified just because the Palestinians were fighting for occupation only; the Israeli’s had nothing to fight for.

"Palestinians need to live in a sovereign state of their own. Their vision has been delayed for too long. That is why the US has spent time and money helping to build a Palestinian state," Barack Obama said, adding, "Yet America's commitment to Israel's security is unshakeable and our friendship with it is enduring."

In late 2011, Obama went to the UN General Assembly and spoke about his frustration in seeing two countries not able to hash out their differences and create peace. While Obama and the U.S. as a whole are trying to act as mediators for the two countries, Obama says that nothing will be fixed unless Israel and Palestine directly meet and come to a conclusion. Obama has shocked both countries by being so balanced in his support, not taking any sides just trying to come to a peaceful solution.

“To Canadians, Europeans and to Arab countries, we ask, please give us weapons," the group's commander said.

The Syrian government battle against the countries rebels is continuing even though the rebels know it will be a hard fight against one of the top militaries in the world. As contradicting as it is, the Syrian rebels are fighting for peace to get rid of the tyrannical rule, by President Bashar Assad, but they need help from other countries with supplies that are beginning to run low.

“While the anti-Assad movement began as peaceful demonstrations against a repressive government, it has for much of the past year become a struggle between armed rebels and the better-equipped Syrian military,” said David Enders.

The fighting is not going to miraculously end until more places are destroyed and many people are killed. Other countries including the U.S. and the UN have been discussing ways to end the fighting but nothing has been conclusive. Allies have been refusing to help the government; more countries would rather help the rebels.

As one can see, there isn’t much peace in the Middle East. Fighting has been occurring for many decades and other countries always seem to get involved, yet not much gets resolved. The conflicts between Palestine and Israel and the Syrian government and the rebels are two major issues that are still on the road to finding peace.