All three parties to these talks have a profound interest in a conflict-ending, two-state peace agreement. To have a realistic hope of reaching that goal, however, Israelis and Palestinians must adhere to one ground rule: Neither side can allow provocations from any quarter to abort the negotiations.

President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had talks this weekend with a number of top leaders from Turkey's Middle Eastern neighbors, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Building respectful relationships with the Middle East continues to be important, and while cultural barriers and common misconceptions still exist, social media tools provide great opportunities to create and enhance respectful and long-lasting relationships.

Following concerted U.S. pressure and a message of support from the Arab League, indirect talks between Israel and Palestinian leaders are set to begin this week. Hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough, however, are low.

A group of 18 students from the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Qatar, representing 12 nationalities will undertake a 12-day tour of Vietnam starting tomorrow... The university official said there were misconceptions about the Middle East in some parts of the world and he hoped the tour would help clear some of them.

The Israelis and Palestinians have taken a small, halting step toward peace talks, a modest payoff for President Barack Obama's dogged, behind-the-scenes diplomacy. Word emerged Monday that the Israeli government had effectively frozen new Jewish construction in Jerusalem's disputed eastern sector.

There are times one could be forgiven for thinking that solving the Palestinian problem would take care of every global challenge from climate change to the flu. But would it? The short answer is no. It matters, but both less and in a different way than people tend to think.

The State Department's public diplomacy professionals in Washington and at U.S. Embassies around the globe are actively pursuing a variety of cultural, education and information programs to showcase respect for diverse cultures, faiths and traditions.