2006年VOA标准英语-Israel Plans New Homes in West Bank Settlement

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
04 September 2006

Israel's government says it intends to build 690 new homes in two West Bank settlements. Palestinian officials say the plan is a violation¹ of the U.S.-backed road map peace plan.

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The settlement construction plan is the largest proposed by Israel's government since Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took office on May 4.  

partially2 constructed building in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Beitar Illit, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2004" src="/upimg/allimg/070418/0926170.jpg" width="210" border="0" /> A partially constructed building in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Beitar Illit, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2004

Under the plan, 348 houses will be built in the Maaleh Adumim settlement and 342 houses in Beitar Ilit. Both settlements border Jerusalem and house more than 60,000 people.

Palestinian officials were quick to condemn³ the planned expansion. Saeb Erekat, who is responsible for negotiating with the Israeli government on behalf of Palestinians, says the expansion of the settlements undermines what is left of the peace process.

"I condemn this in the strongest possible terms," he said. "I think the choice for Israeli is either settlements or peace - they cannot have both. This undermines all efforts being exerted to revive the peace process."

Under the internationally backed road map peace plan Israel is to suspend settlement construction activity in the West Bank, while Palestinians are to halt attacks on Israelis.

Mark Regev a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry⁴ says the expansion of the two settlements is not a violation of the plan because, he says, there is an international consensus⁵ that Israel will be allowed to keep large settlement blocs⁶ close to its border.

"If we are building inside an existing community where it is really understood that the community will always be part of Israel, I do not see this as a problem," he said.

Regev says Israel remains⁷ committed to the road map peace plan, which eventually calls for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv says borders between Israel and the Palestinians should be part of a negotiated settlement, and that the United States believes Israel should not expand its presence in the West Bank.

1 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

2 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

3 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

6 blocs   

n.集团，联盟( bloc的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The division of Europe into warring blocs produces ever-increasing centrifugal stress. 把欧洲分为作战集团产生了越来越大的离心效果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The policy of the two blocs was played out. 把世界分为两个集团的政策已经过时了。 来自辞典例句

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。