VOA标准英语2009年-Abbas Threatens to Quit Over Stalled Peace

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
05 November 2009

 
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas
Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he does not want to run for re-election in January.

In a televised speech, Mr. Abbas accused the United States of backtracking on demands that Israel freeze settlement expansion. He said all settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem must stop and he has made this a precondition for resuming peace talks.

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat says the President is frustrated¹.

"Palestinian factions² have reiterated³ that they want President Abbas to be their candidate," said Saeb Erekat. "But at the end of the day, it's not the presidency⁴; it's the question of the Israeli government continuing settlement activities, fait accompli policies, dictation."

President Abbas's announcement complicates⁵ U.S. efforts to revive peace talks. Mr. Abbas, who rules the West Bank, is seen as a moderate alternative to the violent Islamic militant⁶ group Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip. And he does not have a successor.

But the careful wording of his statement left open the possibility that Mr. Abbas could be persuaded to change his mind. He received phone calls from Israel's president and the leaders of Egypt and Jordan urging him to remain in his post for the sake of peace.

Analysts⁷ say Mr. Abbas's threat to quit may be a means of goading⁸ the U.S. to put further pressure on Israel for concessions⁹.

1 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

3 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

4 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

5 complicates   

使复杂化( complicate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• What complicates the issue is the burden of history. 历史的重负使问题复杂化了。
• Russia as a great and ambitious power gravely complicates the situation. 俄国作为一个强大而有野心的国家，使得局势异常复杂。

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 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 goading   

v.刺激( goad的现在分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人

参考例句：

• Charles was always goading me. 查尔斯总是招惹我。 来自辞典例句
• He kept goading me to fight. 他不断煽动我去打架。 来自辞典例句

9 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。