VOA标准英语2009年-Poll Shows Israelis Suspicious of US-Spons

Growing tensions between Israel and the United States are eroding¹ Israeli support for peace moves with the Palestinians.
　
Jewish Settlement

Amid strong U.S. pressure for a freeze on Jewish settlement construction, there is growing skepticism among Israelis about the peace process. A poll published Friday in the Jerusalem Post shows that 64 percent of Israeli Jews believe Israel cannot trust international pledges for its security in return for withdrawing from West Bank settlements. Only nine percent have faith in international guarantees.

The settlement issue has created a deepening rift² between Israel and Washington since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assumed power three months ago.

"What the United States is demanding is something that no government in Israel can possibly accept. It is totally unrealistic," said Israeli analyst³ Dan Schueftan.

Tensions between the two countries escalated⁴ this week after the U.S. demanded a halt to a Jewish housing project in disputed east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim as the capital of a future state. Mr. Netanyahu responded that Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel and that Israeli sovereignty over the entire city is "indisputable."

Schueftan says there is a strong national consensus⁵ for the prime minister's position.

"What is happening now in Jerusalem and the response of Netanyahu is a reflection of the impossibility of the American strategy, because when they protest in Jerusalem, an Israeli prime minister must reject it," he said. "Netanyahu sees the opportunity, and chose to focus on this issue."

The poll also shows deep Israeli distrust of the U.S. push for a Palestinian state. Sixty two percent of those surveyed said the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank wants to establish a state instead of Israel; only 27 percent believe the Palestinians want two states living side-by-side in peace. That reinforces Mr. Netanyahu's own suspicions about the two-state solution.

1 eroding   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的现在分词 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The coast is slowly eroding. 海岸正慢慢地被侵蚀。
• Another new development is eroding the age-old stereotype of the male warrior. 另一个新现象是，久已形成的男人皆武士的形象正逐渐消失。

2 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

3 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

4 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

5 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？