Kerry arrives in Jordan for last-minute Abbas talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Jordan on Wednesday for a hastily arranged meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, just as Arab leaders released a communique saying they would never recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Kerry flew from Rome to Jordan's capital, Amman, in hopes of jump-starting foundering Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, as the negotiations approach a critical April 30 deadline for a settlement. But the Palestinians have threatened to walk away before then unless Israel releases a fourth group of Palestinian prisoners, as it agreed to, by March 29. (AP)