VOA标准英语2010年-US Reaffirms Support of Israel, Palest

U.S. Vice¹ President Joe Biden is wrapping up a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, calling for both sides to resume negotiations², which the Palestinians say may not take place as a result of Israel's decision to approve more construction on disputed lands. 

Vice President Joe Biden told an audience at Tel Aviv University the United States remains³ deeply committed to Israel's security, saying the United States has no better friend than the Jewish state.

He said it is now in the best interest of Israelis to make a serious attempt to make peace with the Palestinians.  "It is very hard to be a beacon⁴ for others, when you are constantly at war.  To end this historic conflict, both sides must be historically bold, because if each waits stubbornly for the other to act first, this will go on and be waiting for an eternity," said Biden.

Despite U.S. demands for Israel to stop or restrain construction of Jewish housing in disputed East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, during the Biden visit Israeli officials announced their approval of construction of 1,600 new Jewish housing units in East Jerusalem.

Israel said it did not intend to embarrass Biden, the highest-ranking Obama administration official to visit the region.

Biden condemned⁵ the announcement, saying it undermines the trust needed to restart negotiations, which have broken off for more than a year.  He repeated that condemnation⁶ in the presence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a visit to the West Bank.

In his speech to Israelis, Biden's tone was conciliatory. "Some of you legitimately⁷ may have been surprised that such a strong supporter of Israel, for the last 37 years and beyond, but 37 years as an elected official, how I can speak out so strongly, given the ties that I share as well as my country shares with Israel.  But quite frankly⁸, folks, sometimes only a friend can deliver the hardest truth," he said.

The Palestinians have threatened to cancel indirect negotiations, which they agreed to only a few days ago.  Palestinian officials said their decision hinges on whether Israel rescinds⁹ its plans to go ahead with more construction on lands that Palestinians claim as their own.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat spoke¹⁰ on Palestinian radio, calling for Biden and the Obama administration to sway the Israelis.

Mr. Erekat said if the United States is condemning¹¹ the decision then it should work to get the decision canceled.  He said Palestinians are waiting for the Americans to cancel that decision because it will be difficult to see the process restarting with this kind of action in place.
 

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 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。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 beacon   

n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔

参考例句：

• The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
• The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。

5 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

6 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

7 legitimately   

ad.合法地；正当地，合理地

参考例句：

• The radio is legitimately owned by the company. 该电台为这家公司所合法拥有。
• She looked for nothing save what might come legitimately and without the appearance of special favour. 她要的并不是男人们的额外恩赐，而是合法正当地得到的工作。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

8 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

9 rescinds   

v.废除，取消( rescind的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The committee rescinds its earlier resolution on the use of council premises. 该委员会取消了它早些时候对使用委员会房屋土地所作的决议。 来自互联网

10 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。

11 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》