VOA标准英语2014--加沙冲突,哈马斯挑战阿巴斯

 

Gaza Conflict, Hamas Popularity Challenge Abbas 加沙冲突,哈马斯挑战阿巴斯

STATE DEPARTMENT—

The Palestinian unity¹ government of Mahmoud Abbas has failed to convince Hamas to agree to Egyptian-negotiated terms with Israel on a Gaza cease-fire. U.S. officials have worked for years on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Abbas.

Hamas says there will be no let-up to rocket fire until Israel agrees to lift its blockade of Gaza, which is one of the sticking points in Egyptian mediation².

Meeting with Palestinian negotiators to those talks, Abbas vowed³ to stay with the Egyptian initiative despite Hamas' mistrust of the new government in Cairo. As it is Hamas, not Abbas, who can call off the attacks, U.S. officials say the Palestinian leader risks being overshadowed here.

"Well, we’re having a number of conversations with them, as are our other partners who have strong partnerships⁴ with the Palestinian Authority," said State Department Deputy Spokeswoman Marie Harf. "So we’re having those conversations. But at the end of the day, we need Hamas to make some decisions."

American University professor Guy Ziv says the Obama administration wants to keep Abbas "relevant" because they will need him in any lasting⁵ solution with Israel.

"It's ultimately a good idea to have a unified⁶ government because the leader of the Palestinian Authority - in this case Mahmoud Abbas - is going to have to represent all of Palestinians, not just his own faction⁷, when a peace treaty is ultimately signed...if a peace treaty is ultimately reached," Ziv said.

A two-state solution to the long conflict that has failed, in part, because of Israel's hard line with President Abbas, says former U.S. ambassador Adam Ereli.

"In fairness to Abbas and that faction of the Palestinian body politic⁸ that is moderate and reasonable, look, the Israelis don't give them much to work with," he said.

Ereli says Abbas was weakened even before the latest fighting in Gaza.

"The Israelis, in my view, have done everything to undermine Abbas. They've reneged on prisoners. They've expanded settlements. And every time Abbas says 'well, I'm talking to the Israelis and maybe we'll get somewhere', he undermines his credibility with his own people because the Israelis make him look powerless to do anything to constrain⁹ them," he said.

The Israeli military campaign in Gaza further undercuts Abbas because it is an opening for Iran, says U.S. Institute of Peace analyst¹⁰ Steve Heydemann.

"It now seems as if Iran, at least, is hoping to use this crisis as a way to reinsert itself into the Palestine equation through a renewed relationship with Hamas," he said.

Abbas continues to consult with regional leaders who back the Palestinian Authority, including Jordanian King Abdullah. But U.S. officials say Hamas supporters Turkey and Qatar are less interested in the success of the Palestinian leader and the Egyptian mediation he is backing.

1 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

2 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

3 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

4 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

5 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

6 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

7 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

8 politic   

adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政

参考例句：

• He was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage.他很聪明，不会与这么重要的人争吵。
• The politic man tried not to offend people.那个精明的人尽量不得罪人。

9 constrain   

vt.限制，约束；克制，抑制

参考例句：

• She tried to constrain herself from a cough in class.上课时她竭力忍住不咳嗽。
• The study will examine the factors which constrain local economic growth.这项研究将考查抑制当地经济发展的因素。

10 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。