2006年VOA标准英语-Concerned Arab Americans Meet in Washington

By Jeff Swicord
Washington, D.C.
24 July 2006
 
watch Arab American report

  
  
The current Middle East crisis has been especially difficult for Americans of Lebanese descent.  Recently, many Arab Americans met in Washington to share their concerns with members of the U.S. Congress. 

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More than 100 Arab Americans came to Washington for what they described as an emergency summit to express their concerns about the Middle East crisis.  They called for an immediate¹ halt to hostilities².  

James Zogby  
  
James Zogby is president of the Arab American Institute. "There is no military solution to political problems," he said.

All agreed with President Bush that Hezbollah started this crisis and that Israel has the right to defend itself. But many of those at the meeting feel Israel's response has gone too far. 

 
Houeida Saad 
  
Houeida Saad is a Lebanese American from Arlington, Virginia. "I think there is a feeling in the American public that somehow Lebanese Americans do not think that Israel has a right to defend itself," she says.  "The issue really here is, is it appropriate to target civilians³?  And to target the infrastructure⁴ of Lebanon?  That only creates more harm to the state of Israel."

Abbas Youssef is a Lebanese American from Dearborn Heights, Michigan. He says that while Hezbollah may have created the current crisis, the root of the problem is the 58-year-old Israeli-Palestinian land dispute.

Abbas Youssef  
  
"The problem is we have a dispute over territories.  We have the Palestinians -- no state.  He [President Bush] dropped the peace process and it is unfortunate that a president in his position has taken that stand."

The participants also had the opportunity to speak to several members of Congress about their concerns.  They say that Arab American opinions need to be heard more in Washington's halls of power.  

 
Elizabeth Ayoub
  
Elizabeth Ayoub is an artist from Miami, Florida. "We need to raise money.  I have always said it and I have always thought about it.  Money equals power," she says. "And also it is resources.  Tapping into the right people that have a lot of power to get your message across.  But until you reach those people, and until you have enough power and clout⁵, then it is really an uphill battle."

The conference participants criticized the Bush administration's refusal to call for an immediate cease-fire -- and what they see as the Bush administration's abandonment of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. 

President Bush, center, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, meet at the White House with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal   
  
However, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States is working to end the violence. Rice, who arrived in the Middle East Sunday, said before her departure that the Bush administration supports an enduring peace in the region.  "We do seek an end to the current violence.  We seek it urgently.  More than that, we seek to address the root causes of that violence so that a real and endurable peace can be established."

Secretary Rice also ruled out negotiating a quick ceasefire that does not deal with the causes of the violence, calling it a "false promise" because it would not last.

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。