VOA标准英语2009年-US Presses Israel to Expand Humanitarian Access

The United States said it is pressing Israel to expand the terms of its temporary cease-fires in Gaza to allow greater access for humanitarian¹ aid to the besieged² area. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is continuing to lead U.S. cease-fire diplomacy³ in New York.

Officials are not joining United Nations and International Red Cross officials in criticizing Israel's handling of its so-called "humanitarian corridor" into Gaza. But they said the United States is pressing Israel diplomatically to expand the timing⁴ and scope of what it said will be three-hour humanitarian cease-fires every other day.
　

A Palestinian carries flour at a UN food distribution center in Gaza City, 08 Jan 2009

State Department Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood said the "dire⁵" humanitarian situation in Gaza has been a key issue for Secretary Rice - along with cease-fire efforts - in diplomacy this week on the sidelines of the U.N. Security Council in New York.

"One of the other things the Secretary is working very hard on is to try to, with her counterparts, to build on that humanitarian corridor that the Israelis agreed to open. We think its needs to be opened further. We think the hours need to be increased. This is something we are working with the Israelis and others on. Again I remind you it is a conflict zone. It's a very difficult situation. We obviously believe the humanitarian situation to be a dire one," said Wood.
　

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the U.N. Security Council, 07 Jan 2009

Rice went to New York Tuesday for what were to have several hours of diplomatic consultations⁶ on the Gaza crisis but has remained there in intensive talks with Arab and European counterparts on what the United States hopes will be U.N. action for a durable⁷ and sustained cease-fire.

Spokesman Wood said a successful outcome would not necessarily involve a formal Security Council resolution.

"It could be that we are able to reach some kind of agreement on a resolution. I don't know. Could be a [Security Council] presidential statement. We are obviously supporting the Mubarak initiative. What I am saying to you is that it really doesn't matter what form it come in. What's important here is that we bring about an effective solution to ending this conflict," he said.

U.S. officials have said any measure restoring a Gaza truce⁸ should end Hamas rocket firing into Israel, deal with weapons smuggling⁹ to Hamas through tunnels from Egypt, and reopen access to Gaza from Israel and Egypt to address humanitarian needs and revive the area's economy.

Wood said in addition to her New York meetings, Rice has had at least 10 telephone conversations in the last 24 hours with Israeli officials including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and had discussed, among other things, rocket firing early Thursday from Lebanon into northern Israel.

Wood condemned¹⁰ the rocketing and said Israel, which reportedly responded with some mortar¹¹ fire, had shown restraint thus far.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 besieged   

包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。
• The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。

3 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

4 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

5 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

6 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

8 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

9 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

10 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

11 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。