VOA常速英语2008年-Israel Trying to Bring Syria Back to Peace Talk

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
28 March 2008

Israel is extending an olive branch to Syria. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.

Cabinet Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer says Israel is making "every effort... to bring Syria back to the negotiating table."

Ben-Eliezer told Israel Radio that the purpose of negotiations¹ is to reach a peace agreement and he said everyone knows the price: namely, the return of the Golan Heights to Syria.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967 and annexed² it in 1981. Israel is reluctant to give the territory up; it is strategic high ground and 31 Jewish settlements have been established there.

Peace talks between Israel and Syria collapsed³ in 2000 when the sides failed to agree on the extent of an Israeli withdrawal⁴ from the Golan. Since then, tensions between the two countries have risen, with Syria supporting Palestinian militant⁵ groups like Hamas and the Islamic guerrilla group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

But earlier this week, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signaled that he was ready to open a secret channel with Syria.

"I say indeed that I am prepared to make peace with Syria. I hope that the Syrians are prepared to make peace with Israel," he said. "And I hope that the circumstances will allow us to sit together. That doesn't mean when we sit together you have to see us."

The United States, meanwhile, has been demanding that Syria end its support for radical⁶ elements in Lebanon and Iraq. Washington has also been pushing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians with the aim of reaching a peace agreement by the end of the year. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will arrive here on Saturday to try to give the Palestinian track a boost.

1 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。

2 annexed   

[法] 附加的，附属的

参考例句：

• Germany annexed Austria in 1938. 1938年德国吞并了奥地利。
• The outlying villages were formally annexed by the town last year. 那些偏远的村庄于去年正式被并入该镇。

3 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

4 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

5 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

6 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。