2007年VOA标准英语-US Secretary of State Heads to Middle East

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
18 September 2007

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is embarking¹ Tuesday on a two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.  As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, she will try to narrow differences on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Secretary Rice will hold separate talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.  They are working on a document on Palestinian statehood that is to be presented at an international peace conference in the United States this fall, probably in November. 

Israeli spokesman Mark Regev says the goal is the creation of a Palestinian state.

"And we want to engage with this Palestinian government, and the idea is that we all understand where the peace process is going because we all can see the light at the end of the tunnel," Regev said.

But the gaps remain wide.  Israel wants a vague declaration of principles, while President Abbas wants to tackle the core issues of the conflict-including Jerusalem, refugees, and final borders.

"I hope that we can conclude something, to conclude [a] framework for the final status issues," Mr. Abbas said.

Israel believes it is premature² to close a deal on those issues, just three months after the Islamic militant³ group Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip.  Hamas routed the forces of the rival Fatah faction⁴, headed by Mr. Abbas, leaving him as the head of a weakened Palestinian government in the West Bank.

Therefore, Israel fears that Mr. Abbas cannot deliver on a final peace agreement.  The Palestinians say if the document does not go beyond vague declarations, the international peace conference will be a failure.

1 embarking   

乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• He's embarking on a new career as a writer. 他即将开始新的职业生涯——当一名作家。
• The campaign on which were embarking was backed up by such intricate and detailed maintenance arrangemets. 我们实施的战争，须要如此复杂及详细的维护准备。

2 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

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 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。