There may not be any upside for the parties in the Middle East. But there’s definitely upside for those who have been trying to broker peace. They can spend their time and treasure elsewhere where it might be more productive.

Really? This is one of the most troubled places on the planet. Trying to keep it from blowing up further seems like a pretty productive use of time and treasure, for those who are interested in using their time and treasure to try to do good in the world. Not everyone is, of course (see, for example, DOGE and USAID). But this is certainly a place that's rife with problems for time and treasure to help out with.

Sometimes you don't get to a final resolution of problems. Sometimes a lack of progress doesn't mean the best thing to do is to stop trying. I dimly recall a conversation on Old Fool when someone suggested that because social safety net programs weren't working, we should just get rid of them. But we don't get rid of the police just because crime still exists, and we don't get rid of doctors because disease still exists. If no one's even trying to get the two sides to move towards a peaceful resolution, then things can get worse.