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An anti-war protester with red paint on her hands lunging at U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice prior to her testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington on Wednesday. (Reuters)
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Rice says 2-state solution in Middle East in jeopardy
By The Associated Press

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian dilemma is in jeopardy and described a narrow window of opportunity to push Israel and the Palestinians toward peace.

In a House of Representatives hearing interrupted by anti-war protesters, Rice said the upcoming peace conference in the United States will give hope to moderate Palestinian forces. She blamed Iran for fanning flames in the region, including what she called troubling new Iranian support for Hamas militants.

"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 told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
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Rice's testimony was punctuated by Iraq war protesters, including a woman who rushed Rice as she entered the room and waved her hands - painted red to look like blood - in front of the secretary's face. She shouted that Rice was a war criminal and should be taken to The Hague, where the international war tribunal is based.

Rice was stoic and continued with business as usual as the protester was spirited from the room. Other protesters were likewise escorted away at the behest of the committee chairman, Democratic Rep. Tom Lantos.

Despite the protesters' effort to focus on the war, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran dominated much of the hearing. Sharp questions included ones from Lantos whether the Bush administration was doing enough to pressure Egypt to crack down on Hamas sympathizers and whether Bush was organizing the peace conference to salvage his political legacy.

Rice dismissed suggestions that the conference was a political ploy.

"There are probably easier foreign policy tasks to take on than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," she said. "The timing comes down to what it is we need to do to give moderate forces in the region a boost and to deal a blow to forces of extremism."

"The conference has not been scheduled, but should happen by the end of the year," she said.

She also said the United States will ask Congress for more money to support the
Palestinian government. She did not disclose the amount.

On a separate issue, Rice said an emergency State Department review found serious problems with the way private security guards operate in Iraq and that more changes to government policy for contractors may be needed.

Rice said she and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have told their No. 2 officials to study further. Rice already has ordered two rounds of changes to the rules for security contractors intended to install greater oversight from Washington.

On Iran, Rice said the administration shares Congress' goal of imposing tougher sanctions. But a multilateral approach is necessary, she said, and urged lawmakers to work with the administration.

Last month, the House passed, by a 397-16 vote, legislation aimed at blocking foreign investment in Iran, in particular its lucrative energy sector. The bill, sponsored by Lantos, specifically would bar the president from waiving U.S. sanctions.

When asked whether the administration is considering a military strike in Iran, and if Vice President Dick Cheney was leading the charge, Rice said the administration - including Cheney - is committed to a diplomatic approach but would not take any of its options off the table.

Rice said sanctions imposed by the international community, and companies voluntarily refusing to invest in Iran is the best bet.

"Frankly, the international community has to get a lot tougher if it's going to get resolved diplomatically," she said. "The Iranians are not a state, I don't think, that will change their behavior just through talking to them."

On Iranian ties to Hamas, Rice said it was a disturbing new trend.

"To see Iranian actual penetration now of these more radical elements of the Palestinian terrorist groups is really quite troubling," she said.

On other issues: Rice said the Iraqis are taking steps to crack down on fighters of the Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, in Iraq, including closing PKK offices, stopping the movement of party members and dispatching a senior delegation to Turkey. The U.S. has told Turkey that retaliatory attacks would have a destabilizing effect, she said.

Rice urged lawmakers not to pursue a resolution that would label as genocide the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago because of delicate relations with Turkey. This is something that was a horrible event, in the mass killings that took place, but at the time of the Ottoman Empire. "These are not the Ottomans," she said of Turkey's current government.
Rice said the U.S. Embassy in Iraq will be completed within budget, at a price tag of $592 million, and that construction delays were being dealt with. She refused to estimate when it would be finished.

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      1.   If not a two state solution 21:15  |  Bandar Michaels 24/10/07
      2.   The G-d of Avarahm.... 21:20  |  Jeff 24/10/07
      3.   Rice is right 21:24  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/10/07
      4.   The window will open when Bush leaves office 21:25  |  Tosefta 24/10/07
      5.   There Never Was Any "2-State Solution" 21:30  |  Yishai Kohen 24/10/07
      6.   Why Israel? 21:48  |  Frank 24/10/07
      7.   "In God We Trust". Why Americans can not be trusted 21:48  |  Boris Celser 24/10/07
      8.   #2 Jeff 21:49  |  David 24/10/07
      9.   The moderate Muslims believe Israel belong to Jews Jordan =Pal. s 21:49  |  e.m 24/10/07
      10.   We can wait 21:49  |  Stan 24/10/07
      11.   The moderate Muslims believe Israel belong to Jews Jordan.P#2 21:51  |  e.m 24/10/07
      12.   ONE STATE SOLUTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SOLUTION 21:56  |  Realist 24/10/07
      13.   Cancel Palestine, 2 states, Israel and Jordan Palestine, not 3 22:00  |  David 24/10/07
      14.   Perfect Storm 22:07  |  David Howard 24/10/07
      15.   #1 Threat to 2-state solution: "moderate" Abbas` Right-of-Return 22:07  |  Dr. L. Brnd 24/10/07
      16.   Yishai Kohen 22:18  |  Danite 24/10/07
      17.   SWISS DINO IS AS WRONG AS RICE 22:20  |  Brant 24/10/07
      18.   Tosefta(#4) doesn`t understand US politics 22:20  |  Voice of Reason 24/10/07
      19.   Rice - Drinking the Kool Aid 22:27  |  Tod Zuckerman 24/10/07
      20.   did you guys lost the light to make it happened 22:27  |  Simon Mohammed 24/10/07
      21.   California burning 22:33  |  Alicia 24/10/07
      22.   ONE STATE ONLY 22:40  |  Mr. Haifa 24/10/07
      23.   Danite #16 22:51  |  Jane 24/10/07
      24.   2 state solution a disaster waiting to happen 23:01  |  Hilda 24/10/07
      25.   Yishai Kohen 23:13  |  hermione weinstein 24/10/07
      26.   two states 23:14  |  leonard 24/10/07
      27.   e.m. 23:17  |  Me 24/10/07
      28.   There will never be peace, both sides are too greedy 23:21  |  Ghandi 24/10/07
      29.   # 23 jane 23:35  |  Axel 24/10/07
      30.   One State/One Man/One Vote/No Jewish State 23:38  |  Realist 24/10/07
      31.   No More Opportunities for PALS to Miss 23:41  |  Robert 24/10/07
      32.   For Swiss (Dino) on 2-State 23:43  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 24/10/07
      33.   Jane on Middle Eastern History 23:44  |  Ibrahim 24/10/07
      34.   # 17 Brant Believe me, time is not on your side.... 23:45  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/10/07
      35.   TO #1 23:50  |  Ari 24/10/07
      36.   TO #22` 23:53  |  Ari 24/10/07
      37.   Mr.Haifa,you have as much chances as a German returning to Bresla 23:53  |  Absolute Sweden 24/10/07
      38.   Tosefta and reasonable solutions 23:54  |  Tulip 24/10/07
      39.   To Idiot: Jordan did not exist in history. Israel was exist2000B. 23:57  |  e.m 24/10/07
      40.   # 3 DINO ? Labhras?? 00:00  |  17 25/10/07
      41.   Re:me#27 00:05  |  e.m 25/10/07
      42.   Re:me#27 00:05  |  e.m 25/10/07
      43.   If I had a dollar for every time `window of opportunity closing` 00:11  |  Maya 25/10/07
      44.   2 states wont work but Israel will allways be a JEWISH STATE 00:13  |  zionist forever 25/10/07
      45.   2 States, yes : Israel and Jordan 00:15  |  Nicolas from Paris 25/10/07
      46.   # 32 Darth Zeider (ed) 00:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 25/10/07
      47.   "Time is not on your side" : 34 Centuries :) - It is. 00:16  |  17 25/10/07
      48.   In denial over Gaza 00:17  |  Aaron 25/10/07
      49.   #6 Why Israel? 00:22  |  Rebekah S 25/10/07
      50.   Can....? 00:39  |  Jeff 25/10/07
      51.   We all Knew It 00:42  |  Abe 25/10/07
      52.   Rice to the Hague! 00:42  |  Steve 25/10/07
      53.   To Idiot: Jordan did not exist in history. Israel was existe2000B 00:46  |  e.m 25/10/07
      54.   Reme 00:48  |  e.m 25/10/07
      55.   Israel belongs to America... 00:51  |  Maureen Ann 25/10/07
      56.   "I`m a Nut Job" Suggested Alaska 01:01  |  Rick 25/10/07
      57.   O.K FOR ISRAEL BUT NOT FOR ANYONE ELSE 01:09  |  VIPER 25/10/07
      58.   I WILL RETURN 01:17  |  Abed 25/10/07
      59.   #12 Realist you are not,but keep on dreaming 01:31  |  TOMY 25/10/07
      60.   Jane wake up 01:44  |  Danite 25/10/07
      61.   Empty talk 01:46  |  Jeff 25/10/07
      62.   Realisticly WB should be under Jordan rule 01:50  |  TOMY 25/10/07
      63.   #39 no realist at all,continue to salivate 01:58  |  TOMY 25/10/07
      64.   #4 Tosefta 01:59  |  Jim 25/10/07
      65.   SWISS DINO: My Reply 02:00  |  Brant 25/10/07
      66.   #11 02:01  |  Jeff 25/10/07
      67.   Israel is boooming while Arabs stagnate 02:06  |  TOMY 25/10/07
      68.   Rice`s babblings are not relevant,Putin and the Caspian Sea 02:07  |  lakshmi 25/10/07
      69.   To #34 Swiss Dino 02:11  |  Boris Celser 25/10/07
      70.   GHANDI #28, sounds like a plan 02:18  |  Palestinian Prince 25/10/07
      71.   #2 Jeff 02:24  |  Jim 25/10/07
      72.   Alicia you are a nut...although....! 02:37  |  Phychic 25/10/07
      73.   Condy wasn`t commissioned to threaten but to help. 02:38  |  Fortuna Benmayor 25/10/07
      74.   #5 Yishai Kohen of Yesha 02:44  |  Jim 25/10/07
      75.   NO need for such dream 03:38  |  Brod 25/10/07
      76.   To # 28 Ghandi 03:44  |  Boris Celser 25/10/07
      77.   Palestinian Prince 03:45  |  American 25/10/07
      78.   Swiss Dino,agree with you(by the way brant,I think must surely be 03:52  |  lakshmi 25/10/07
      79.   Oh, Condi, How Could You? 03:57