VOA标准英语2009-US Welcomes Israeli Settlement Move, Urges P

David Gollust | State Department 25 November 2009

The Obama administration says the 10-month moratorium¹ on new settlement construction starts in the West Bank announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday falls short of the complete freeze.  But the administration is welcoming the action and is urging Israel and the Palestinians to seize on the opportunity to resume peace talks. 

The tone of the Obama administration's reaction to the settlement freeze was set by U.S. Middle East envoy² George Mitchell, who told reporters that while the United States shares Arab concerns about the limitations of Israel's gesture, it is more than any Israeli government has ever done.

"In the moratorium just announced by the government of Israel, there will be no new housing construction starts during the 10-month period.," said George Mitchell. "None.  There will be no approval of any housing projects during the 10-month moratorium.  None.  No Israeli government has ever taken this step and nothing remotely like this occurred during the Bush administration."

The U.S. envoy said he will return to the region in the near future to try to build on momentum³ generated by the Israeli gesture toward a resumption of negotiations⁵ with the Palestinians.

Mitchell said the United States is sympathetic to Arab concerns, expressed in early criticism of the Netanyahu announcement.  The freeze allows for buildings already under construction in West Bank settlements to be completed and does not apply to East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as their future capital.

But Mitchell cited a statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the Israeli announcement helps "move forward" toward a resolution of the conflict and that the way to achieve that is through good faith negotiations.

"Nobody gets everything they want in a negotiation⁴ seeking to resolve a conflict like this," he said. "There has to be a willingness on everyone's part to give more than they want to give and to accept less than they want to get.  That applies to everyone in the process."

The former U.S. Senate Majority leader said the Obama administration continues to press the Palestinians to improve prospects⁶ for peace by bolstering⁷ security and curbing⁸ anti-Israel incitement⁹, and for Arab nations to build relationships with Israel in trade, culture and other areas short of the full normalization¹⁰ envisaged¹¹ in a comprehensive peace.

Mitchell said he is not discouraged about his mission's recent setbacks, including acrimonious¹² exchanges over a recent U.N. report alleging¹³ possible war crimes in last year's Gaza conflict, citing the example of his successful Northern Ireland peace efforts in the 1990s.

"In a real sense, we had 700 days of failure and one day of success," said Mitchell. "I know that, if anything, the Mideast is more difficult and more complex.  But no matter where the conflict is or what it's about, if you're serious about peace, you can't take as final the first 'no,' the second 'no' or even the hundredth 'no.'"

In her statement, Secretary Clinton promised an "unwavering" U.S. commitment to a two-state solution, based on 1967 lines with agreed land swaps¹⁴, that will create an independent and viable¹⁵ Palestinian state and an Israel with secure and recognized borders.  

1 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

3 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

4 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

5 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。

6 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

7 bolstering   

v.支持( bolster的现在分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• Why should Donahue's people concern themselves with bolstering your image? 唐纳休的人为什么要费心维护你的形象？ 来自辞典例句
• He needed bolstering and support. 他需要别人助他一臂之力。 来自辞典例句

8 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

9 incitement   

激励； 刺激； 煽动； 激励物

参考例句：

• incitement to racial hatred 种族仇恨的挑起
• Interest is an incitement to study. 兴趣刺激学习。

10 normalization   

n.（normalisation）正常化，标准化

参考例句：

• The visit signalled the normalization of relations between the two countries.这次访问显示两国关系已经正常化。
• He was pleased to the normalization of relationship between the police and the people.他很高兴警方和人民之间关系的正常化。

11 envisaged   

想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He envisaged an old age of loneliness and poverty. 他面对着一个孤独而贫困的晚年。
• Henry Ford envisaged an important future for the motor car. 亨利·福特为汽车设想了一个远大前程。

12 acrimonious   

adj.严厉的，辛辣的，刻毒的

参考例句：

• He had an acrimonious quarrel with his girlfriend yesterday.昨天他跟他的女朋友激烈争吵了一番。
• His parents went through an acrimonious divorce.他的父母在激烈吵吵闹闹中离了婚。

13 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

14 swaps   

交换( swap的名词复数 )； 交换物，被掉换者

参考例句：

• He swaps his old car for a new motorcycle. 他用旧车换了一辆新摩托车。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语
• Swaps the anchor and end points of the current selection. 交换当前所选内容的定位点和结束点。

15 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。