2007年VOA标准英语-Israel Ready to Discuss Golan Heights in Peace

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
08 June 2007

An Israeli Cabinet member says the government wants to open peace talks with Syria and is prepared to discuss terms for returning the Golan Heights. The Cabinet minister's comments follow a newspaper report on Israeli overtures¹ to Damascus. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.

Meir Sheetrit (file photo)

Cabinet Minister Meir Sheetrit says Israel is interested in resuming negotiations² with Syria based on the formula of land for peace. The talks would focus on the strategic Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967.

Sheetrit told Israel Radio that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is prepared to negotiate, and the ball is now in Syria's court. There was no immediate³ response from Damascus.

Sheetrit was responding to an Israeli newspaper report which said that Mr. Olmert has sent secret messages to Syria saying he is prepared to withdraw from the Golan in exchange for full peace. According to the Hebrew daily Yediot Ahronot, the messages were sent through German and Turkish diplomats⁴.

Sheetrit said an Israeli withdrawal⁵ from the Golan would have to be tested over a long period of time.

He says that under a peace agreement, Syria should lease the Golan Heights to Israel for 25 years. If peace endures during that period, Israel would withdraw from the territory.

The newspaper said Mr. Olmert set down tough conditions for peace talks: Syria must scale back ties with Iran and end support for Islamic militant⁶ groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The offer reflects the thinking in some Israeli circles that peace talks with Syria would weaken radical⁷ forces in the region by bringing Damascus into the camp of the moderates.

The United States had no immediate reaction to the latest reports. Washington has been pressing Syria to do more to halt the flow of weapons into Iraq, and end its interference in Lebanon.

The Bush administration has been publicly cool to the idea of a resumption of Israeli-Syrian talks.

Israeli opposition⁸ leaders say it would be a grave mistake for Israel to rescue Syria from its diplomatic isolation⁹, which stems largely from its behavior in Lebanon and Iraq.

1 overtures   

n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲

参考例句：

• Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 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。

4 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

6 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。

7 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。