Middle East United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 2nd left, gathers with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, left, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, 2nd right, and George Mitchell, U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, left, in the Monroe Room of the State Department, before their direct talks aimed at peace in the Middle East, in Washington, Thursday, September 2, 2010. .Credit: Jason Reed / Pool via CNP