"Our concern is growing that without a serious political prospect for the Palestinians that gives to moderate leaders a horizon that they can show to their people that indeed there is a two-state solution that is possible, we will lose the window for a two-state solution," Rice said.
Despite protesters' effort to focus on the war, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran dominated the hearing. Representative Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, asked whether the Bush administration is doing enough to pressure Egypt to crack down on Hamas sympathizers, and whether Bush is calling for the peace conference to salvage his political legacy.
Rice dismissed suggestions that the conference is a political ploy.
"There are probably easier foreign policy tasks to take on than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," she said.
The conference has not been scheduled, but should occur by year's end, she said.
The State Department announced yesterday that Rice will return to Israel and the West Bank early next month for more talks ahead of the peace conference. The trip will be her second to the region inside a month.
