Neutrality ostensibly allows the United States to remain a credible arbiter and keeps both sides at the negotiating table. That is not really the perception outside of the United States, particularly in Europe and the rest of the Middle East. Much of the world already considered the United States a biased and unhelpful actor, promoting Israeli interests in a way that perpetuated the conflict. Partly it is because of domestic politics that led American leaders to pronounce themselves as pro-Israel while pursuing policies intended as neutral. As for the wider Arab response, the United States is just not very popular or trusted in the region.

Source: New York Times December 09, 2017 18:56 UTC