VOA标准英语2009-Joe Biden Urges Israel To Support Two-State Solu

U.S. President Barack Obama met with Israeli President Shimon Peres Tuesday, while U.S. Vice¹ President Joe Biden was urging Israel to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
　
Israeli President Shimon Peres pauses during a speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee 2009 policy conference on Monday, 04 May 2009 in Washington

After meeting with President Obama at the White House, Mr. Peres said the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will honor the so-called road map to Middle East peace. That plan calls for side-by-side Israeli and Palestinian states.

"Mr. Netanyahu said that he will abide² [by] the commitments of the previous government," said Shimon Peres. "The previous government accepted the road map."

Mr. Netanyahu has not officialy endorsed³ the proposal to create a Palestinian state.

The two-state solution has been at the center of U.S. efforts to mediate⁴ peace between Israel and the Palestinians for most of a decade.
　
Vice President Joe Biden speaking at AIPAC, 05 May 2009

Earlier Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden spoke⁵ before a major pro-Israel lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. He said a two-state solution is a necessary part of any negotiated peace in the region.

"The president is strongly and personally committed to achieving what all have basically said is needed: a two-state solution with a secure, Jewish state of Israel living side-by-side in peace and security with a viable⁶ and independent Palestinian state," said Joe Biden.

Biden said a two-state solution is also necessary to ensure Israel's survival as a Jewish democratic state.

"That is also the solution that Israel and the Palestinians committed to in the road map and reaffirmed in Annapolis [Maryland]," he said. "It can be achieved. It must be achieved."

Biden also urged Israel to allow Palestinians freedom of movement, and to stop building new Jewish settlements. He said Israel's security is not negotiable, and called on Arab states to make meaningful gestures toward Israel.

Mr. Obama and the Israeli president were also discussed Iran in their private meeting. Mr. Peres said Monday that Iran's nuclear activities threaten the region and the world.

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

3 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 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。