International outrage from all sides of the conflict greeted comments from Israel's Prime Minister this week, claiming a former Jerusalem Mufti gave Adolf Hitler the idea for the Holocaust.
The US Secretary of State is calling for calm in a Berlin meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister.
The mood was cordial as John Kerry sat down with Binyamin Netanyahu ahead of talks aimed at ending the recent surge of violence that's killed nine Israelis and 48 Palestinians.
"John it's good to see you. I want to thank you and the United States for condemning the terrorist attacks against Israel, for standing up for Israel's right of self defense and also for standing up with UNESCO; that is greatly appreciated."
But while it wasn't explicitly mentioned, the Israeli Prime Minister's suggestion this week the Mufti of Jerusalem persuaded Adolf Hitler to exterminate Jews was likely in the Secretary of State's thinking when he urged rhetorical restraint on both sides.
"We have to stop the incitement; we have to stop the violence. And I think it's critical, this conversation that you and I have is very important to settle on the steps to be taken that take us beyond the condemnation, beyond the rhetoric. It is absolutely critical to end all incitement."
Mr Netanyahu, however, is laying responsibility for the incitement squarely at the feet of Gaza rulers Hamas and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.
"I think it's time for the international community to say clearly to President Abbas, stop spreading the lies about Israel. Lies that Israel wants to change the status quo on the Temple Mount. Lies that Israel wants to tear down the mosque and lies that Israel is executing Palestinians. All of that is false. We remain committed to the status quo. We're the ones who protect all the holy sites."
But Palestinians remain angry at what's perceived as a Jewish encroachment on the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City.
It's one of the most important religious sites in the old city of Jerusalem, revered by Jews, Muslims and Christians.
In the United Nations, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki has told the UN Security Council it all comes back to the Israeli occupation.
"Mr President, our conversation today must focus on the fundamental source of violence. The reason for its repetition time after time is simply continuing foreign occupation by Israel in Palestine, its illegitimate war machine, its continuing settlement activities, the embargo, the repression that deprives Palestinians of all rights provided for in the charter."
The UN Deputy Secretary General, Jan Eliasson, has called for bold steps from Israeli and Palestinian leaders to avoid all-out war.
"This crisis would not have erupted, I suggest, if the Palestinian people had a perspective of hope towards a viable Palestinian state, if they had an economy that provides jobs and opportunities, if they had more control over their security and the legal and administrative processes that define their daily existence - in short, if the Palestinians did not still live under a stifling and humiliating occupation that has lasted almost half a century."
After his talks with Mr Netanyahu in Berlin, John Kerry expressed hope of defusing the tension.
But the Secretary of State has much on his diplomatic plate.
He's flying on to the Austrian capital, Vienna, where he'll meet leaders from the European Union, Russia and the UN for more discussions on the Middle East conflict.
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