Israel plans to build nearly 700 new apartments in disputed East Jerusalem, defying demands by the United States and the Palestinian Authority for a freeze on settlement construction. While Israel has imposed a partial freeze on construction in the West Bank, government spokesman Mark Regev says that does not apply to Jerusalem, which Israel says is the eternal capital of the Jewish people.
以色列不顾美国和巴勒斯坦当局提出的冻结定居点建设的要求，计划在有争议的东耶路撒冷建造近700户新的公寓住宅。尽管以色列部分冻结了约旦河西岸的定居点建设，以色列政府发言人雷格夫说，这项政策并不适用于耶路撒冷。以色列认为耶路撒冷是犹太人永久的首都。
"I want to be very clear. In the Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem, there is not going to be a freeze, there cannot be a freeze. We never promised to freeze construction in those areas," he said.
雷格夫说：“我想十分清楚地表明这一点。在耶路撒冷的犹太人社区不会实行冻结。那里不能被冻结。我们从来没有承诺要在那些地区冻结定居点建设。”
The United States, which is a sponsor of the Middle East peace talks, says Israeli settlements are an obstacle to peace, and the issue has strained relations with Israel's right-wing government. The Palestinians, who seek East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, say they will not return to negotiations until all settlement activity stops.
主导中东和平谈判的美国表示，以色列定居点问题是实现和平的一个障碍。这个问题已经造成美国与以色列右翼政府间的紧张关系。巴勒斯坦人寻求将东耶路撒冷作为他们未来国家的首都。他们表示，如果不停止所有的定居点活动，他们就不会回到谈判桌上。
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said, "This decision to build new housing units in East Jerusalem undermines the credibility of those involved in making the peace process continue."
巴勒斯坦谈判代表埃雷卡特说：“在东耶路撒冷兴建新住宅的决定破坏了那些参与推进和平进程的人们的信誉。”
Israel says peace talks should resume without preconditions.
以色列表示应该无条件恢复和平谈判。 |