布什到访耶路撒冷讲话(2008-05-14)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you all.  President Peres, thank you, sir, for your hospitality.  Mr. Prime Minister and Mrs. Olmert, it's great to be with you.  We consider you friends.  Heads of state, thank you all for coming.  I think it's a great tribute to this conference, as well as to Israel that some so many heads of state have come.  Ex-heads of state and ex-leaders, thanks for being here.  Save a seat in the ex-leader's club.  (Laughter and applause.)  Citizens of Israel, Laura and I loved coming to your beautiful country, and thank you for your warm hospitality.  Citizens of the United States, my fellow Americans -- (applause) -- spend freely and behave yourselves.  (Laughter.) 
　　Distinguished¹ guests, I really appreciate your warm welcome.  And we are thrilled to be here with one of America's closest friends.  Laura and I are honored to represent the American people on the 60th anniversary of your independence.  Happy birthday.  (Applause.) 
　　As we celebrate the anniversary, it is useful to look back at the story of your founding.  It is the story of how faith guided the Jewish people through centuries of bitter exile.  It is a story of how those living behind ghetto² walls and barbed wire never lost sight of Jerusalem.  And it is a story of how brave pioneers risked everything to redeem³ the promise of this land.  It is a marvelous story.
　　When Israel's founders⁴ gathered in Tel Aviv to sign your declaration of independence, the threat of war loomed⁵.  But it could not overshadow the joy of people who had lived to see their prayers answered.  Celebrations broke out all across this land, and of course they broke out in America, as well.  In New York, young men and women danced the hora in the streets.  In Washington, a crowd gathered to watch a flag-raising ceremony outside the building that would become Israel's first embassy.  After one man saw the flag bearing the Star of David, he said, "I never thought I'd live to see this day." (%bk%)
　　Looking back 60 years later, it is important to remember what the founders of Israel had to overcome at every stage of the journey.  They established one of the world's great democracies in a region where democracy had few roots.  They formed a unified⁶ army out of immigrants and refugees from many different countries.  They planted the seeds of a modern economy in the sands of an ancient desert.  In these accomplishments⁷, we see the visionary leadership of men and women like Herzl and Weizmann and Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir and Rabin and Sharon -- and we honor each of them this evening.  (Applause.)
　　And looking back 60 years later, we've also got to remember the courage of Harry⁸ S. Truman.  As Israel prepared to declare independence, President Truman faced a tough choice over whether to recognize a new state.  The future of Israel hung in the balance.  As Chaim Weizmann told the President, he said, "History and providence⁹ have placed this issue in your hands."  And today we know that the forces of Providence could not have chosen a better man than America's 33rd President.  (Applause.)
　　Eleven minutes after Israel came into existence, the United States became the first nation to recognize its independence.  And because Harry Truman did what was right instead of following the conventional wisdom, we can say today that America is Israel's oldest and best friend in the world.  (Applause.)
　　With every passing year, the bonds of friendship between America and Israel have grown stronger.  America stands for peace, and so does Israel.  And as we stand in peace, we must understand the realities of the world in which we live.  We must be steadfast¹⁰, and we must be strong in the face of those who murder the innocent to achieve their objectives.  (Applause.) And in the long run, we share a powerful belief in a powerful weapon against the terrorists.  We believe that the surest way to defeat the enemies of hatred¹¹ is to advance the cause of hope through the cause of freedom; liberty as the great alternative to tyranny and terror.  (Applause.) 
　　Mr. President, and Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for inviting¹² me to speak at the Knesset tomorrow.  I hear it's a place of many a sharp elbow.  (Laughter.)  I'm looking forward to giving my speech.  (Laughter.)  I'm not going to be throwing any elbows.  But I will talk about the day when I believe every child in the Middle East can live in peace and live in freedom.  (Applause.)  With trust in the Rock of Israel, we know that day will come.  And when it does, the United States of America will be by at your side.
　　God bless Israel, and God bless America.  (Applause.)

1 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

2 ghetto   

n.少数民族聚居区，贫民区

参考例句：

• Racism and crime still flourish in the ghetto.城市贫民区的种族主义和犯罪仍然十分猖獗。
• I saw that achievement as a possible pattern for the entire ghetto.我把获得的成就看作整个黑人区可以仿效的榜样。

3 redeem   

v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等）

参考例句：

• He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。
• The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。

4 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

5 loomed   

v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
• The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

7 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

9 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

10 steadfast   

adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的

参考例句：

• Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
• He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。

11 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

12 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。