VOA标准英语2009年-Israel Rejects US Call for Total Settlemen

Israel has rejected a call by the United States for a total freeze on settlement expansion in the occupied territories.

Israel said construction in Jewish settlements will continue despite U.S. pressure. President Barack Obama began pressing the settlement issue at a White House summit last week with Israel's hawkish¹ new Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And on Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed growing impatience² with the Jewish state.

"With respect to settlements, the president was very clear when Prime Minister Netanyahu was here," Clinton said. "He wants to see a stop to settlements - not some settlements, not outposts, not natural growth exceptions."

Legitimate³ expansion
　
Jewish settlers wash cement off their feet after laying foundation of new building in West Bank outpost of Maoz Esther, 28 May 2009

But Israeli Cabinet Minister Benny Begin said natural growth is a legitimate reason for building in existing West Bank settlements to continue.

"The Israeli Jewish towns and villages should develop according to the natural development rate and this must not be stopped," he said.

The settlement issue goes beyond natural growth. Underscoring the Israeli government's nationalist ideology⁴, Begin referred to the West Bank by its biblical name-Judea and Samaria.

"It applies the right of the Jewish people to its homeland, not only near Tel Aviv and Haifa, but also in the cradle of our history, in Samaria and in Judea," Begin said.

Obstacle to peace

Both the United States and the Palestinians see the settlements as an obstacle to peace.

"This is our word to the world: No peace can be reached with one settler remaining in Palestine," said Palestinian official Rafiq Husseini.

The Palestinians said that until settlement expansion stops, resuming peace talks with Israel would be a waste of time.

1 hawkish   

adj. 鹰派的, 强硬派的

参考例句：

• My staff's advice that first day was amazingly hawkish. 在第一天，我的僚属们的意见是令人吃惊的鹰派意见。
• Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet. 反战团体担心巴拉克·奥巴马可以创建强硬派内阁。

2 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

3 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

4 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。