I think the U.S. should assist in mediating negotiations toward a resolution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict only if both Israel and Palestine agree to let the U.S. arbitrate as a third party. I agree with Ms. Adair that the U.S. has too much “skin in the game” to attempt to unilaterally enforce a peace agreement, given its alliance with Israel. Uninvited arbitration from the United States would only exacerbate anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiment among Palestinians, and perhaps other Near Eastern states, and therefore prolong the conflict.
However, another factor to consider is the interest of superpowers hostile to the U.S., namely China and Russia, in the Near East. Both nations are attempting to expand their spheres of influence into developing nations in direct competition with the U.S. and the West. As both China and Russia are tyrannical authoritarian regimes, their attempts to establish international hegemony in economics and geopolitics is problematic and must be confronted. Therefore, neither should the U.S. passively leave the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the arbitration of China or Russia and let them expand into the Near East.
