2007年VOA标准英语-UN Secretary-General to Meet Israeli and Palest

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
25 March 2007

The Secretary-General of the United Nations has arrived in Israel for separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, the Middle East peace process and the fate of three kidnapped Israeli soldiers are topping the agenda.

Defense1 Minister Amir Peretz, left, listens to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, upon the latter's arrival at Ben Gurion airport near Tel-Aviv, Israel" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070529/0839010.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz, left, listens to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, upon the latter's arrival at Ben Gurion airport near Tel-Aviv, Israel

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hopes to give a boost to the stalled peace process during a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. He spoke² upon arrival at the airport in Tel Aviv. "The United Nations has had crucial political and operational roles in the Middle East for more than 60 years. We were there at Israel's creation and I would dearly wish to be there again when a comprehensive solution to the conflict is achieved," he said.

Mr. Ban will hold separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. But the Secretary-General disappointed both sides from the outset.

His decision not to meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh drew angry reaction from the ruling Islamic militant³ group Hamas, which described it as "discrimination." Hamas agreed to share power with Mr. Abbas and other moderates in a national unity⁴ government that assumed power a week ago. The group said the new government represents the entire Palestinian people and the UN is supposed to be a non-political organization that represents all countries.

Israel, on the other hand, was hoping that Ban would boycott⁵ the Palestinian government. Israel refuses to deal with the new regime because Hamas rejects key international demands for lifting crippling sanctions--namely, renunciation of violence and recognition of the Jewish state.

Israel does not see the U.N. as a key mediator⁶ in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a role that has traditionally been played by the United States. But Israeli officials believe the Secretary-General can play an important role in achieving the release of three kidnapped soldiers-one held by Hamas in Gaza and two others held by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Defense Minister Amir Peretz made that clear when he greeted MR. Ban at the airport. Peretz said Israel is confident that Mr. Ban will do everything he can to implement⁷ U.N. Resolution 1701 which calls for the return of the captive soldiers to their homes in Israel.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 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。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 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。

5 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。

6 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

7 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。