2006年VOA标准英语-Rice Meets with Israeli, Palestinian Leaders

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
30 November 2006

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Thursday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Jericho, and with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem. VOA's Jim Teeple reports comments by President Abbas on Thursday have raised new doubts about whether Palestinians will be able to form a new unity¹ government, not led by Hamas.

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Secretary Rice says her trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories was to encourage peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, and that a ceasefire agreed to by both sides in the Gaza Strip should be extended.

In Jerusalem, she and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert discussed the Gaza ceasefire, a possible prisoner exchange between Israelis and Palestinians and the Iranian nuclear issue.

 
Condoleezza Rice speaks as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas listens at press conference following meeting in West Bank town of Jericho,  30 Nov 2006 
Earlier in the day, meeting with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Jericho, Secretary Rice called on Israel to ease restrictions² on Palestinians in the West Bank, where, she says, they face daily humiliations.

"The daily difficulties and humiliations that are associated with life for the Palestinian people simply must be eased," she said.

Secretary Rice also expressed support for the creation of what she described as a "viable³ and contiguous" Palestinian state saying no actions should be taken to "prejudge" that goal - a reference to the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

However, her remarks were largely overshadowed by comments made by President Abbas, who in a surprise development, told a Jericho news conference that he believed efforts to form a unity Palestinian government had reached a dead end.

Mr. Abbas says that after six months of talks, his Fatah faction⁴ had not reached any agreement with Hamas, and that it was doubtful that a unity government could be formed anytime soon.

 
Ismail Haniyeh (file photo)
Speaking in Cairo, Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister said he did not believe the unity government talks were in danger, saying only a few details remained before a new government could be formed.

Palestinian factions⁵ have been trying to create a new government in a bid to end the economic boycott⁶ of the Palestinian Authority and revive peace talks with Israel.

Donor⁷ aid, and customs and tax revenue that Israel turns over the Palestinians have been suspended, because Hamas, which controls the Palestinian government, refuses to recognize Israel. Secretary Rice said Thursday that a new Palestinian government was essential - not only for getting the aid restarted - but also for reviving peace efforts between Palestinians and Israelis.

 
Condoleezza Rice speaks during news conference in the West Bank town of Jericho, 30 Nov 2006
"Unfortunately because there is not a government with which the international community can deal, it is very difficult to do more [on] the humanitarian⁸ side," she says. "We do believe that if there was a government that accepted international standards, it would be possible for the international community to do more, if the international principles were respected."

In her remarks on Thursday, Secretary Rice did not directly address President Abbas' comments regarding the failure to form a unity government - calling them an internal Palestinian matter.

1 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

4 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

5 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

6 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

7 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

8 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。