Middle East peace 'a high priority for Bush'
George W Bush has made the end of Israeli-Palestinian violence one of his highest priorities, the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice claimed today.
She added that a US-based peace conference expected to take place later this year has to be serious and substantive.
"We frankly have better things to do than invite people to Annapolis for a photo op," she said, adding that Israelis and Palestinians were making their "most serious effort" in years to resolve the conflict.
"Frankly, it's time for the establishment of a Palestinian state," she said.
The two sides are trying to work out an outline for a final peace deal ahead of the Annapolis conference.
But tensions grew yesterday when Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his cabinet that the outline was not necessary for the conference to go ahead.
The Palestinians replied that without one they would snub the meeting.
Israel has been pushing for a vaguely-worded document while the Palestinians want a detailed outline, complete with a timetable for establishing a Palestinian state.
