Clinton says 'we cannot give up on peace' in Middle East

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton said "we cannot give up on peace" in the Middle East as she appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for her confirmation hearing for the position of secretary of state.

"As intractable as the Middle East problems may seem -- and many presidents, including my husband, have spent years trying to help work out a resolution -- we cannot give up on peace," she said.

Clinton said she and President-elect Barack Obama are "deeply sympathetic" to Israel's desire to defend itself, but added that they have also been reminded of the tragic humanitarian costs of conflict in the Middle East.

"This must only increase our determination to seek a just and lasting peace agreement that brings real security to Israel -- normal and positive relations with its neighbors, independence, economic progress and security to the Palestinians in their own state. We will exert every effort to support the work of Israelis and Palestinians who seek that result," she said.

Clinton also said that consultation is a commitment and "not a catchword" as she delivered her opening remarks.

"The president-elect and I believe that we must return to the time-honored principle of bipartisanship in our foreign policy, an approach that has served us well," she said. Watch Clinton talk about defense and diplomacy »

During her opening statement, Clinton also paid tribute to Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, by highlighting Dunham's work in women's rights.

Clinton noted that Dunham was supposed to attend the 1995 Beijing women's summit, but "unfortunately she was very ill and couldn't travel and sadly passed away a few months later."

Clinton said it was clear that Dunham's work in international development, as well as "the care and concern she showed for women and for poor people around the world, mattered greatly to her son and certainly has informed his views and vision."

Clinton said she would be honored to carry on Dunham's work "in the months and years ahead."

Clinton pledged in her opening statement to "renew America's leadership" in a world that has undergone an "extraordinary transformation" since the end of the Cold War and is now facing "great peril."

She said her "overriding duty" would be to protect America's interests through the use of "smart power" that utilizes all facets of American power. Military power should still be used, she noted, but only as a last resort.

She said that while the State Department has been underutilized in recent years, it will be "firing on all cylinders" if she is confirmed.

Clinton was introduced by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, who called her "exactly the right person at the right time" to be secretary of state.

Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, opened the hearing by saying that Clinton's "presence overseas will send a strong signal immediately that America is back."

Kerry called Clinton an "alliance builder" who has "earned the respect of her colleagues" and could help overcome "the polarization of the last eight years," though he also noted the need for Clinton to address questions relating to the fundraising activities of her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Indiana, said Tuesday that he had proposed several transparency measures to make sure there are no conflicts with Clinton's fundraising actions.

When Clinton's name was first mentioned for secretary of state, Obama's team reviewed the relationships her husband had forged as part of his charitable foundation work. The Obama team was concerned that the relationships could create conflicts of interest.

To address those concerns, the former president agreed to disclose the names of the more than 200,000 donors to his presidential foundation, a move he had previously resisted.

He also agreed to separate his work with the Clinton Global Initiative from his foundation work and submit the text of future speeches and other activities to State Department officials for review, Obama aides said.

Clinton ran against Obama for the Democratic nomination in the longest primary season in modern history. One of the biggest issues she highlighted during the campaign was their differences on national security -- including how they would deal with some controversial leaders, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Kerry anticipated a smooth confirmation process that would likely be completed in a day, committee spokesman Frederick Jones said.

Meanwhile, senior State Department officials told CNN that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley were hosting a dinner Monday for Hillary Clinton and retired Marine Gen. James Jones.

Jones is Obama's pick for national security adviser.