US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (L) looks on as Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad (R) looks at a signed document while Palestinian Leader Mahmud Abbas (C) and US Consul General in Jerusalem Jacob Walles (CL) exchange words and US Security Coordinator Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton (CR) looks on. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas today that Israel was ready to discuss "fundamental issues" to advance the stalled Middle East peace. AFP PHOTO/MARCO LONGARI (Photo credit should read MARCO LONGARI/AFP via Getty Images)