VOA标准英语2009年-Clinton Tries to Appease Arab Anger About

By Scott Stearns
Marrakech, Morocco
03 November 2009

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is trying to quiet Arab complaints about her praise for an Israeli offer to limit Jewish settlements on the West Bank. Palestinian leaders say the Israeli offer does not go far enough.

 
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers her speech at the opening of the World Policy Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, 03 Nov 2009
 
Secretary of State Clinton tried for a second day to address Arab complaints that her praise for an offer to limit settlements encourages Israel to sidestep a 2003 promise to end those settlements.

In Jerusalem Saturday, Clinton said an Israeli offer to restrict settlement growth was "unprecedented¹." That drew a sharp response from Jordan and Egypt, as well as the Arab League. Palestinian officials say Washington condoning² settlement activity entrenches³ the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.

Clinton says Washington does not condone⁴ Israeli settlements. In talks with Arab foreign ministers in Morocco, she said President Obama is standing⁵ by U.S. policy that Jewish settlements on Palestinian land are not legitimate⁶.

Addressing the controversy⁷ about her remarks, she called for more constructive⁸ cooperation.

"We are committed to a two-state solution and we are determined⁹ and persistent¹⁰ in the pursuit of that goal," she said. "It is important that we all work toward that objective. And, I think that does require that all parties should be careful about what we say, the kind of recriminations that are so understandable. But we need to work together in a constructive spirit toward this shared goal of a comprehensive peace."

Clinton believes that the American commitment to the peace process is understood by Arab leaders. She thinks that, with their support, the process can move forward, despite what she calls the difficult and tangled¹¹ history that too often prevents progress.

"We can maintain an allegiance to the past. But we cannot change the past. No matter what we say about it, it is behind us," said Clinton. "Or we can work together and follow the vision and the inspiration of President Obama to help shape a future that will be so much better for the children of both Palestinian and Israeli families."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is ready to return immediately to peace talks, without preconditions. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas says there must first be a complete halt to all Israeli settlements on disputed land. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa says resuming talks without a freeze on those settlements would be futile¹².

Secretary Clinton says the issue should not block further talks. She will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, Wednesday, to discuss how best to get both sides back to negotiations¹³ as soon as possible.

1 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

2 condoning   

v.容忍，宽恕，原谅( condone的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I'm not condoning what he did, all right? 我并不是宽恕他的所作所为，好吗？ 来自电影对白
• Communist Party conservatives abhor the idea of condoning explicIt'sex. 党内的保守势力痛恨对赤裸性爱内容的宽容。 来自互联网

3 entrenches   

v.用壕沟围绕或保护…( entrench的第三人称单数 )；牢固地确立…

参考例句：

• It entrenches the army's role guaranteeing it a quarter of parliamentary seats. 军队的角色被牢固确立，宪法赋予军队四分之一的议会席位。 来自互联网
• This matter entrenches on other domains. 这件事对其他方面也有影响。 来自互联网

4 condone   

v.宽恕；原谅

参考例句：

• I cannot condone the use of violence.我不能宽恕使用暴力的行为。
• I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war.我绝不允许任何导致战争的行为。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

7 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

8 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

10 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

11 tangled   

adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Your hair's so tangled that I can't comb it. 你的头发太乱了，我梳不动。
• A movement caught his eye in the tangled undergrowth. 乱灌木丛里的晃动引起了他的注意。

12 futile   

adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的

参考例句：

• They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
• Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

13 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。