VOA慢速英语2012 IN THE NEWS - Palestinians Cheer UN General Assembly Vote

 

IN THE NEWS - Palestinians Cheer UN General Assembly Vote

时事新闻 - 巴勒斯坦人庆祝成为联合国观察员国

From VOA Learning English, this is IN THE NEWS in Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语时事新闻报道。

This week, the United Nations General Assembly voted to recognize the Palestinian Authority as a “non-member observer state.” The vote came a year after the General Assembly denied the Palestinian Authority full membership. There was excitement at the UN’s headquarters in New York on Thursday as the voting came to an end.

本周，联合国大会表决承认巴勒斯坦权力机构为“非成员观察员国”。这次表决是在联合国大会否决巴勒斯坦权力机构成为正式成员的一年之后。表决结束后纽约联合国总部里很是热闹。

“The voting has been completed. Please lock the machines…(applause).”

“投票已完成，请锁定机器...（掌声）”

One hundred thirty-eight UN members voted for the resolution. Nine nations were opposed. Forty-one others chose not to vote.

138个联合国成员国投了赞成票，9个国家反对，其余41个国家弃权。

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas spoke¹ to the assembly before the vote. He said the Palestinian people would not accept anything less than an independent Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

巴勒斯坦权力机构主席马哈茂德·阿巴斯（Mahmoud Abbas）在表决前向大会发表了讲话。他说，巴勒斯坦人民只会接受一个以东耶路撒冷为首都的独立的巴勒斯坦国。

“We did not come here seeking to delegitimize a state established years ago, and that is Israel. Rather we came to affirm the legitimacy² of a state that must now achieve its independence, and that is Palestine.”

“我们来这里不是为了谋求剥夺多年前建立的一个国家的合法地位，这个国家指的是以色列；而是为了承认眼下必须获得独立的一个国家的合法地位，这个国家就是巴勒斯坦。”

He added that supporters of the resolution are showing what he called their “principled and moral support for freedom and the rights of peoples and international law and peace.” 

他补充说，该决议的支持者展示了他们“对人民的自由和权力，以及国际法律与和平在原则和道义上的支持。”

The United States, Israel and seven other countries opposed the measure. American Ambassador Susan Rice spoke after the vote.

美国、以色列和其它7个国家反对这一决议。美国驻联合国大使苏珊·赖斯（Susan Rice）在表决后发言。

“Today's grand pronouncements will soon fade. And the Palestinian people will wake up tomorrow and find that little about their lives has changed, save that the prospects³ of a durable⁴ peace have only receded⁵.”

“今天的宏大声明很快就会褪色。巴勒斯坦人民明天醒来，将会发现他们的生活改变甚少，除了持久和平的前景变得更加模糊。”

The Israeli government denounced the UN decision. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the assembly vote as meaningless. Israel’s UN ambassador, Ron Prosor, said the new status will not help the peace process. Yet some Palestinians say they hope the move will lead to new peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

以色列政府谴责了联合国的决定。以色列总理本雅明·内塔尼亚胡（Benjamin Netanyahu）认为联大投票毫无意义。以色列驻联合国大使罗恩·普罗瑟（Ron Prosor）表示，这一新地位不利于和平进程。然而一些巴勒斯坦人表示，他们希望此举能够给巴勒斯坦权力机构和以色列之间带来新一轮的和平谈判。

Talks between the two sides were last held in September of twenty ten. The negotiations⁶ stopped when Israel refused to extend its ban on new settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory. 

这两者之间的最后一次会谈是在2010年9月。以色列拒绝延长其关于在被占领的巴勒斯坦领土上新建定居点的禁令后谈判终止。

Being a non-member observer state gives the Palestinian Authority the right to seek the help of United Nations agencies. For example, the Palestinian Authority could ask the International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli actions in Palestinian territories. 

作为非成员观察员国给予了巴勒斯坦权力机构寻求联合国机构帮助的权力。例如，巴勒斯坦权力机构可以要求国际刑事法庭调查以色列在巴勒斯坦领土上的行动。

There was great celebration in the West Bank and Gaza Strip after the General Assembly vote. Palestinians cheered, saying the vote added support to their claim of statehood. However, the cheers could soon disappear if critics of the resolution take new economic or political action against the Palestinians.

联大表决后，约旦河西岸和加沙地带举行了盛大庆祝。巴勒斯坦人欢呼雀跃，称表决增加了对他们建国要求的支持。然而如果决议反对者对巴勒斯坦采取新的经济或政治行动，欢呼声就可能很快会消失。

On Thursday, some American Senators threatened to halt aid to the UN if the Palestinian Authority uses its non-member status to bring cases against Israel to the International Criminal Court.

周四，美国一些参议员威胁，如果巴勒斯坦权力机构使用其非会员地位向国际刑事法庭提起对以色列的诉讼，美国就会停止对联合国的援助。

Separately, Israel could hold back tax money it collects and passes along to the Palestinian Authority. Israel could also decide to expand Jewish settlements in Arab areas.

此外，以色列可以扣住其征收并转给巴勒斯坦权力机构的税款。以色列还可以决定在阿拉伯地区扩建犹太人定居点。

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

3 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

5 receded   

v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• The floodwaters have now receded. 洪水现已消退。
• The sound of the truck receded into the distance. 卡车的声音渐渐在远处消失了。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。