Last week was big for the Obama presidency. Much attention was rightly given to the controversial health care reform bill, but it overshadowed several major developments outside the country’s borders.China and Russia unsuccessfully negotiated with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government to slow down Iran’s nuclear ambitions. After the meeting, it seemed the two major powers — who have thus far been soft with Tehran — were now open to imposing sanctions.News in Russia leaked that officials were crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s on a new nuclear arms reduction pact with the United States. The agreement will require a 25 percent reduction in each country’s nuclear arsenals and a reduction in launching capacity (without affecting American ambitions for a European anti-missile system), according to reports.But perhaps the most significant development has been the tone struck by the Obama administration with Israel.The Israeli government announced plans to increase the number of Jewish settlements in Gaza earlier this month, on the heels of a visit by Vice President Joe Biden. Expanding the settlements is widely considered to be counterproductive to the ongoing peace negotiations with the Palestinians — an issue of American interest for decades.In a move coordinated by President Obama, the vice president expressed American discontent by arriving more than an hour late to a state dinner arranged for him.So when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington last week, he brushed off suggestions that relations between the two countries were on the rocks. After all, the United States has provided diplomatic as well as financial support since it was formed after World War II.This brings up an important fact. Who does the United States give the most foreign aid money to? Is it Haiti — a country where 80 percent of people live below the poverty line? What about Angola, where about 20 percent of children don’t live past year one?The correct answer, of course, is Israel. We give our Jewish friends about $3 billion per year — about a fifth of the foreign aid budget. And it isn’t going to buy butter. It almost exclusively goes to buy guns (high-tech, American guns).Igenerally don’t like to involve myself in the Israeli-Palestinian debate because it’s obviously complicated. I simply haven’t done enough homework — like getting a Ph.D in Israeli-Arab relations — to paint a picture for the road to peace.But I do know that building new settlements is not going to solve the problem.As far as I’m concerned, if you receive money from your parents in college you don’t just have to listen to what they say because they are your parents. There is a real pragmatic calculation you make about whether or not you want to receive your next check.I’m not suggesting America is entitled to direct Israel’s foreign policy decisions. Its decisions are its alone. But when the United States is heavily funding its government, it puts us in a position where its decisions affect us and consequentially, we should have a say.After all, the big secret about why we were attacked on 9/11 isn’t that they “hate our freedoms” as our president said, or (entirely) because we are not Muslims. The policies of Israel — who we support — are seen as antagonistic against Muslims.I’m certainly not suggesting we should act under duress, giving in to an evil ideology. But the fact is if the Israel-Palestinian debate could ever be settled — or at least tamped down — it will only increase the safety of all concerned parties (and make better use of American foreign aid).The president needs to maintain a strong hand against anyone who threatens the peace process in the Middle East — whether it’s Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Palestinians or the Israeli government. Right now, that means being tough with our ally to ensure they are serious about peace.Mark Macmurdo is a 23-year-old history and economics senior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_mmacmurdo.—————Contact Mark Macmurdo at [email protected]