VOA标准英语2009年-Mixed Reaction to Israeli Announcement of

There has been mixed reaction to Israel's announcement of a partial freeze on settlement expansion. Jewish settlers and their allies say it is a catastrophe¹, while Palestinians describe it as a publicity² stunt³.
　
Housing units are seen in an outpost near the West Bank Jewish settlement of Itamar, near Nablus, 18 Aug 2009

Israeli hawks⁴ are furious after the right-wing government announced that there have been no new settlement projects in the West Bank since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office five months ago. Construction already in progress is continuing, but that is little comfort for parliamentarian Arieh Eldad of the National Union party.

"I do not need a leader of the right to adopt the policy of the left," said Eldad.

Israeli officials say Mr. Netanyahu's concession⁵ is aimed at healing a rift⁶ between Israel and the United States. Ties grew strained after Mr. Netanyahu rejected repeated demands by the Obama administration for a complete freeze on settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The prime minister's traditional allies on the right, like Eldad, say Mr. Netanyahu compromised on the Zionist goal of settling all the biblical Land of Israel in order to appease⁷ the U.S.

"The fact that he gave up on the main issue, it's Israel's worst nightmare," said Eldad.

While Mr. Netanyahu is willing to compromise on West Bank construction, he has not budged⁸ on building in disputed East Jerusalem, which he describes as the eternal and undivided capital of the State of Israel. But the Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and they say Mr. Netanyahu has not gone far enough.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says Israel is trying to fool the U.S. because current construction of thousands of Jewish homes has not been frozen and will continue for years.

"What we're worried is that Mr. Netanyahu will have a bypass road saying, 'Okay, I have some settlements, housing units, under construction.' So if the Americans are going to close their eyes on this, it means it's going to take another two governments after Netanyahu to complete," he said.

The White House, on the other hand, reacted positively⁹ to the Israeli announcement. U.S. President Barack Obama said he is encouraged by what he is seeing on the ground.

1 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

2 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

3 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

4 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

5 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

6 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。

7 appease   

v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足

参考例句：

• He tried to appease the crying child by giving him candy.他试图给那个啼哭的孩子糖果使他不哭。
• The government tried to appease discontented workers.政府试图安抚不满的工人们。

8 budged   

v.（使）稍微移动( budge的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）改变主意，（使）让步

参考例句：

• Old Bosc had never budged an inch--he was totally indifferent. 老包斯克一直连动也没有动，他全然无所谓。 来自辞典例句
• Nobody budged you an inch. 别人一丁点儿都算计不了你。 来自辞典例句

9 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。