I was born in Israel to an Israeli father and an American-born mother who moved there after college. When I was five years old, my family and I left Israel. While I admit that most of what I recall from my years in Israel deals with the monkey bars at the local playground rather than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there are nonetheless a few distinct memories that have stuck with me. I remember the sealed "safe room" in our apartment that we would have to enter if a bomb siren sounded. I remember the heated political discussions that broke out whenever family came over. I remember singing songs about peace at my kindergarten graduation.

Sadly, in the nearly fifteen years that have passed since I left Israel, not much has changed in regards to the conflict. The cycle of violence is ongoing, there is no lasting peace, and both sides are as frustrated as ever. Too many people, both in Israel and in the United States, seem to have accepted the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a fact of life. The truth of the matter is that now is the time for both sides to sit down, compromise and work towards a two-state solution before it is too late.

The idea of having two states for two peoples is older than the State of Israel itself. The Peel Commission of 1937 and the United Nations Partition Plan of 1947 both came to the conclusion that the land in question be divided between Jews and Arabs. In the decades since then, every legitimate peace talk has operated on that principle as well. It is clear that this is the only solution that maintains Israel's Jewish and democratic nature; any of the so-called one-state solutions are just ploys to either eradicate the Jewish state or even prevent the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. For as long as this two-state solution remains a viable option, it should continue to be pursued as the only reasonable solution. While the fulfillment of this vision-that of a strong Israel living side-by-side with a thriving, independent Palestinian state-has eluded the region for decades, both sides must continue to have faith in its future success.

With that in mind, the first step in the peace process must be direct conversation and negotiation. This has happened at many points in the past, most recently in September 2010 when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met in Washington, D.C., and is the only way valid way to work towards true peace.

Although peace talks have been stalled since the recent escalation in the Gaza Strip, and the leaders are refusing to budge, the vast majority of people on both sides want peace. In fact, according to a 2010 poll by Fafo, a Norwegian-based international research foundation, 73 percent of Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza were in favor of peace negotiations with Israel, but stressed that a settlement freeze should be a precondition to talks.

Likewise, two 2012 Israeli polls revealed that over two thirds of Israeli Jews support a peace agreement establishing a demilitarized Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, Israel's retention of major settlement blocs, and a division of Jerusalem.

There is no lack of ideas regarding solutions to different parts of this conflict, but there is a noticeable lack of leadership. Whether this is for political reasons or their own personal beliefs, these leaders must be willing to come to the negotiating table without any preconditions. This has been done in the past including at the Oslo Accords of the mid-1990s and the Camp David Summit in 2000, and it is clear that meeting face to face leads to a greater understanding of the other side's position and allows leaders to work together.

I sincerely hope that when President Obama visits the region later this month, he can serve as an impetus to reignite peace talks. The president has expressed his firm support for the two-state solution, and if he chooses to use his influence wisely, he could have an incredible impact on bringing the Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table. United States involvement has been critical in almost every negotiation in Israel's history, and now that the president does not need to focus on his re-election campaign, he can dedicate more time and energy to this cause.

The president, like so many others, recognizes that the demographics on the ground are changing. As he said to thousands of pro-Israel Americans at the 2011 American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference, "We can't afford to wait another decade, or another two decades, or another three decades to achieve peace ... the world is moving too fast."

While I am not so na??ve as to believe that negotiations will resume the moment President Obama lands in Israel, or even that his visit will manage to have any depolarizing effect, I hope that President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry dedicate serious time and commitment to work towards peace. After all, only once negotiations begin, a rapport is built between the parties, and a general outline concerning the borders of both states is agreed upon, can they go on to discuss more complex issues such as the West Bank settlements, security arrangements and the future status of Jerusalem.

The road to a two-state solution is not simple. It will take years of dedication, building upon the decades of work and thought already invested in it. Even if a solution is reached, the transition can be tedious, agreements can be broken, and Israel's security can be threatened. Each side must understand that neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians are going to receive precisely what they want; that is the nature of compromise, but the beauty of it is that by working together, these two nations can build a brighter future for themselves and each other.

When I moved away from Israel there was no peace. Now, there is still no peace. But I hope and pray that when my children visit Israel, and hopefully a peaceful, cooperative Palestine, they will be visiting countries of prosperity, security and peace.

Daniel Koas is an executive board member of the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs committee.