EU's Ashton to visit Israel for regional, Iran talks

 EU's Ashton to visit Israel for regional, Iran talks

JERUSALEM, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Amid a diplomatic row over a plan to build homes in a disputed Jerusalem area, European Union ( EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Wednesday for discussions with top officials.

Ashton will launch her visit with a morning meeting in Jerusalem with Defense¹ Minister Ehud Barak, followed by meetings with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Foreign Ministry² spokeswoman told Xinhua Monday.

Iran's presumed nuclear weapons program is expected to highlight the discussions, as well the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process and bolstering⁴ ties between Israel and the EU.

The visit will take place a week after the EU slammed an Israeli government plan, announced Thursday, to build some 800 housing units in Gilo, a hilltop settlement neighborhood in southeast Jerusalem located on the land Israel seized in the 1967 war.

"Settlements are illegal under international law and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible," Ashton's office said in a statement released on Friday.

The statement further noted⁵ that the EU "has repeatedly urged the government of Israel to immediately end all settlement activities in the West Bank, including in east Jerusalem, in line with its obligations under the road map."

On Sunday, Netanyahu brazenly⁶ responded to the condemnation⁷, telling his cabinet that Israel will not place any limitation on " construction in its capital."

"In the same way, building goes on in London, Paris, Washington or Moscow. Israel is building in Jerusalem. We have a connection no less ancient and powerful to our capital," the prime minister said in a statement.

Ashton, who will arrive in Israel from Jordan, will meet senior Palestinian officials in Ramallah on Thursday and is scheduled to depart the region the following day.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, accompanied by a group of senior ministers, will land in Israel for a one-day visit to bolster³ already-strong bilateral⁸ ties, officials here said.

Monti's entourage will include his defense, foreign affairs, finance, justice, education and culture ministers, who will sign cooperation agreements with their Israeli counterparts, the Foreign Ministry said.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

4 bolstering   

v.支持( bolster的现在分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• Why should Donahue's people concern themselves with bolstering your image? 唐纳休的人为什么要费心维护你的形象？ 来自辞典例句
• He needed bolstering and support. 他需要别人助他一臂之力。 来自辞典例句

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 brazenly   

adv.厚颜无耻地；厚脸皮地肆无忌惮地

参考例句：

• How dare he distort the facts so brazenly! 他怎么敢如此肆无忌惮地歪曲事实！ 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• "I don't know," he answered, looking her brazenly over. “我也不知道，"他厚颜无耻地打量着她。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

7 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。

8 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。