I'm inclined to think that the misinterpretation follows from the hostility rather than the other way round. Once you have decided that someone is an enemy, anything they do will be seen as a hostile act. A smile is seen as a sneer, a joke is seen as an insult.

But once you're in that situation, it makes it particularly difficult to make up once again. And that's true whether its disputes between individuals, or communities, or nations.

And I think that's why George decided to back out of this once the insults and misinterpetations were flying in his direction, because that kind of thing can easily get out of hand, and often has in discussion threads here about difficult and divisive issues.