VOA常速英语2017--美国为以色列受歧视发声（在线收听）

At the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the United States refused to participate in the debate session devoted to “human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.”

在联合国人权理事会第34次会议上，美国拒绝参加以“巴勒斯坦及其他受侵阿拉伯领土的人权现状”为主题的会议讨论。

The discussion took place in accordance with Agenda Item 7, which makes Israel -- and only Israel -- a permanent target of examination and discussion at each of the three yearly meetings of the Human Rights Council. Traditionally, countries with deplorable human rights records have blasted Israel during these sessions.

这样的会议讨论是基于议程项目7进行的，议程项目7将以色列——且仅仅以色列——列为联合国人权理事会每年3次大会持续的拷问和讨论目标。一直以来，人权记录惨不忍睹的很多国家也一直在这样的分会中对以色列进行炮轰。

In a written statement, U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Nikki Haley criticized the fact that Israel is the only country permanently on the Human Rights Council's agenda.

在一份书面声明中，美国常驻联合国大使妮基(Nikki Haley)对一项事实进行了批判，即以色列是联合国人权理事会唯一的永久议程。

It is not Syria, where the regime has systematically slaughtered and tortured its own people. It is not Iran, where public hangings are a regular occurrence. It is not North Korea, where the regime uses forced labor camps to crush its people into submission. It is Israel.

为什么不是叙利亚呢？叙利亚的政体一直在全面地屠宰并折磨着自己的子民；为什么不是伊朗呢？伊朗的公开绞刑屡见不鲜；为什么不是朝鲜呢？朝鲜政权通过强迫性的劳改所迫使人民屈服。而最后是以色列得到了这样的对待。

Israel is a strong and long standing democracy in the Middle East.

以色列是中东地区国力强盛、源远流长的民主国家。

Ambassador Haley noted that the “so-called ‘Agenda Item 7' discredits the standing of the only UN body designed to address the state of global human rights by allowing actions to distract from their own abuses back home by churning out anti-Israel propaganda.”

大使妮基强调说，所谓的“议程项目7”败坏了联合国人权理事会这个唯一一个致力于解决全球人权问题现状的联合国机构，让很多国家可以无视自己国内不堪的滥用人权现状，而反过来大肆进行反以色列的抨击。

In a separate statement, Acting State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner said that the “continued existence of this agenda item is among the largest threat to the credibility of the Human Rights Council.”

在一次补充声明中，美国国务院代理发言人马克说，“议程项目7的持续存在是对联合国人权理事会信誉的最大威胁。”

He called the U.S. decision not to attend the Council's Item 7 General Debate session, “an expression of our deeply-held conviction that this bias must be addressed in order for the Council to realize its legitimate purpose.”

马克将美国拒绝参加联合国理事会议程项目7会议讨论的决定称之为“表达了我们根深蒂固的信念，即为了让联合国人权理事会实现自己的合法买不了，必须消除这种对以色列的歧视。”

Mr. Toner emphasized that it “does not serve the interests of the Council to single out one country in an unbalanced matter,” and that the U.S. “will vote against every resolution put forth under this agenda item and is encouraging other countries to do the same.”

马克还强调说，“单独针对某个国家进行抨击是一种不平衡的做法，不符合联合国人权理事会的利益，”他还说，美国“会对议程项目7下做出的一切决议投反对票，并支持其他国家持相同的做法。”

“The U.S.,” said Spokesperson Toner, “is dedicated to the pursuit of respect for international human rights by all countries in the world, and we call on all member states and international partners who are committed to human rights to work with us to pursue much needed reforms in the UN Human Rights Council.”

马克说，“美国致力于追求每个国家尊重全球人权，我们呼吁所有致力于保护人权的联合国理事会成员国和国际伙伴与我们一道寻求联合国人权理事会进行必要的改革。”