AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Wednesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a bid to salvage foundering Mideast peace talks that were dealt a new blow when Arab leaders said they never would recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Kerry and Abbas spoke for more than four hours over a working dinner in the Jordanian capital of Amman that U.S. officials said were “constructive.” No other details of the meeting were released. Kerry planned further talks with Abbas and with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the coming days.