Rice Comes Up Short

The Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is making another trip to the Middle East seeking a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Her influence and expertise are so minimal, there's not a snowball's chance in hell Gaza she can do it. Rice has nothing to show for her infrequent forays into the Holy Land. In November, while President Bush conferred with Arab leaders in Amman, on his orders Rice dashed over to Israel where she spent a half hour with Abbas, praising him as one ''who supports resolving the conflict peacefully'' at the very moment Palestinian terrorists rained rockets on southern Israel.