US Secretary of state John Kerry has met with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, as part of an international diplomatic push to quell a wave of deadly Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Before their talks in Amman on Saturday, Kerry said he was "hopeful." Abbas said Palestinians always had hope. Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat said the meeting was "very in-depth and constructive". Kerry also met with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Saturday.
On Friday, Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov were among officials appealing for "maximum restraint" after their talks in Vienna.
The representatives of the Middle East peacemaking Quartet said they condemned all acts of terror and violence against civilians and urged Israel to work with Jordan to "uphold the status quo" at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound, which has been the focal point of the unrest.
