US-Russian relations are at perhaps the lowest point since the Cold War. Neither side, however, seems willing to open a dialogue that could resolve some of the animosity, even though both sides have mutual interests on the issue of terrorism and the Iranian negotiations. Indeed, there seems to be a willful misinterpretation of each other’s motives. For example, RT (formerly the Russian Times) has a report on a meeting between US Secretary of State Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov which suggests a high degree of mistrust.
Mistrust is also playing a profound role in the escalating violence in Jerusalem. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians are interpreting recent violent events through the single prism of religious struggle. A conflict defined in such terms defies compromise and almost inevitably escalates. Unfortunately, no outside power seems willing to step in to try to bring about a different definition of the crisis.
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