International efforts to persuade Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to give up the statehood bid have proven unsuccessful so far. In New York, members of the Quarter, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton discussed ways to find a solution that would bring the Palestinians back to the negotiating table with Israel, but failed to reach an agreement. Abbas who arrived in New York on Monday night has said he refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. The United States objected to a proposal submitted by Ashton that calls for a joint statement saying Israel and the Palestinians would resume talks and reach a peace agreement in six months. American officials said the sides would not be able to meet such a deadline, and Abbas would need more time in order to secure his leadership over Hamas in the Gaza Strip.