U.S. Ambassador to Jordan Stuart E. Jones, left, King Abdullah II of Jordan, center, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, second left, and other officials gather before a meeting at al-Hummar Palace in Amman on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014. America's top diplomat is trying to nudge the two closer to signing an accord, setting up a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Kerry said Saturday that progress is being made, yet key hurdles are yet to be overcome. Kerry's talks on Sunday with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah are likely to also touch on the war in Syria, rising violence in Iraq, and Iran's nuclear program. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool) ( Mideast Kerry )