In Rhode Island's coastal fishing village of Jerusalem, John Eldridge, 38, stood outside his flooded, grey-shingled cottage, his pants tucked into rubber boots, recounting a long night.

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On the island of Kos, there are the mighty towers of the Castle of the Knights of St John, the medieval order of holy crusaders who went to Jerusalem but never returned home.

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The rise in tension and violence comes days before US Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah to try to press for a revival in negotiations that broke down in 2010.

BBC: Palestinians shot dead by Israeli fire in West Bank