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.

There has been a significant drop in cultural co-operation among Arab countries in recent years, cultural expert at the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage Moussa Zainal has said. On the other hand, bilateral co-operation among them in other fields has improved considerably during the same period, he said.

We need to do something to deprive both sides of any excuse not to engage in serious negotiations," Mr. Clinton said in an interview aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "If this is the tactic he decides to adopt, I will strongly support it.