VOA常速英语2007年-Palestinians Hopeful, Skeptical About Peace Con

By Jim Teeple
Ramallah
07 November 2007

Following talks this week with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he believes there is a real possibility of achieving peace with Israel. After the meetings, Israeli and Palestinian leaders said an upcoming peace conference could lead to talks about establishing a Palestinian state. But many ordinary Israelis and Palestinians say they are skeptical¹ much can be accomplished² during the conference later this month in Annapolis, Maryland. VOA's Jim Teeple reports from the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Business is brisk at the Princess Jewelry³ shop just off Manara Square in downtown Ramallah. There is a steady stream of Palestinians coming and going. Most however are not buying, but selling their family jewelry. Many go from shop to shop in Ramallah looking for the best price for long-treasured family heirlooms.

Nihad, who works the counter at Princess Jewelry, says Palestinians are suffering from economic hard times, and with the price of gold reaching record levels these days his shop is doing a brisk business.

"Because of the siege and the closure and there is no work in Israel - also because of the high price of gold these days. I think the situation is worse every day. It becomes worse and worse," he said. "People need money."

Nihad says he hopes the recent visit of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Ramallah will help ease restrictions⁴ that Palestinians face in the West Bank, and lead to progress towards something he says all Palestinians want; an independent state. But he says while he is hopeful, he is also skeptical that Israel will ease its military occupation of the West Bank anytime soon.

Mamoun Attili who documents Israeli restrictions on Palestinians for the Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens Rights says most Palestinians who live in the West Bank share that skepticism. He says Condoleezza Rice has made eight trips to the region this year, but restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank in the form of road blocks and checkpoints have gotten worse.

"They are talking about more than 500 blocks, [checkpoints] in the West Bank territory. More than 150 of them have been since April of this year," he said. "I think that if there are no good intentions from the Israeli side related to human-rights issues, like prisoners, roadblocks, the chance to travel from place to place - the economic situation, the money controlled by the Israelis - the customs and other issues if these are not solved immediately, the situation will be more complicated."

Israeli officials say the roadblocks are necessary to prevent Palestinian militants⁵ from attacking Israelis. They say once Mr. Abbas' security forces can show they are capable of controlling the militants the checkpoints will be eased.

Palestinian political analyst⁶, Hani al-Masri says the pressure is now on Mr. Abbas, from Israelis and from his fellow Palestinians, who will demand that he return from Annapolis, Maryland with real concessions⁷ from the Israelis - something he says few Palestinians believe will happen.

"He must give them a change in their lives; checkpoints, settlements, separation wall and Israeli military aggression⁸ must stop," said Al Masri. "There must be a change in the economic situation. There are many things that Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] must give the Palestinians from Annapolis. But, the Palestinians do not have much hope because there are many signs that show the Palestinians that Israel is not serious and that the American administration will not try to change the Israeli position."

In his remarks following his meeting with Condoleezza Rice, Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, said while he expected negotiations⁹ with Israel and the United States to be tough, he said he received encouraging signs from the United States and Israel that Palestinian concerns will be taken seriously. Mr. Abbas also said he was hopeful that a comprehensive peace agreement can be reached with Israel by the end of President Bush's term in office - just more than a year from now.

Now Palestinians will be watching to see if Mr. Abbas' optimism results in real gains at the Annapolis conference. Results that will Improve their everyday lives.

1 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

2 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

3 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

4 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

5 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

8 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

9 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。