The European Union, or EU, is calling on Israel to observe a humanitarian truce after a four-day Israeli air offensive on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of France, which currently heads the EU, hosted a meeting in Paris on Tuesday aimed at resolving the crisis. Kouchner told French television he is pushing for a lasting truce.
在以色列连续4天空袭哈马斯控制的加沙地带之后，欧盟呼吁以色列实行人道主义停火。欧盟轮值主席国法国的外交部长库什内星期二在巴黎主持了一个旨在解决危机的会议。库什内告诉法国电视台，他正在推动一个持久的停火建议。
Spain's Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, told reporters the Europe Union's immediate goal is to secure a cease-fire between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas. The Europeans are particularly looking for a humanitarian truce.
西班牙外交部长莫拉蒂诺斯对记者说，欧盟目前的目标是确保以色列和巴勒斯坦武装组织哈马斯之间停火。欧洲方面还特别在寻求一种人道主义的停火方式。
Their call for a cease-fire joins that of the United States, which said Hamas must respect the truce. Meanwhile, Persian Gulf Arab ministers have strongly condemned Israel's actions in the conflict.
他们的停火协议与美国一致。美国表示，哈马斯必须尊重停火协议。
Earlier Tuesday, the EU's executive arm called on Israel and Hamas to cease all attacks affecting civilians and let humanitarian aid into the impoverished Gaza Strip.
星期二早些时候，欧盟的执行机构呼吁以色列和哈马斯停止所有影响到平民的攻击，并且让人道救援物资进入贫穷的加沙地带。
But Robin Lowe, a Middle East expert at Chatham House, a London-based public policy institute, said the Europeans have limited diplomatic clout.
但是，位于伦敦的公共政策智囊机构查塔姆研究所(Chhatham House)的中东问题专家罗宾.洛说，欧洲人的外交影响力有限。
"The European Union countries have a fairly weak voice in this conflict. Many of them wish that was stronger and they're all full of ideas and good intentions to help find a quick and peaceful resolution. But the difficulty is that neither side [Israel or Hamas] is at all minded to listening to the Europeans," he said.
“欧盟各国在这次冲突中所起的作用比较弱。他们中有不少希望影响力能大一些，并且满脑子想法，一心想帮助寻找一个迅速和平的解决方案。但是困难在于两边(以色列或哈马斯)都不会听欧洲的。”
The Europeans are also divided, with many countries historically sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. But the Czech Republic, which takes over the EU rotating presidency from France on January 1, has defended Israel's air strikes on Gaza in retaliation for Hamas rocket fire.
欧洲国家之间也有分歧。许多国家历史上一直同情巴勒斯坦人的事业。但是将在1月1号接替法国成为欧盟轮值主席国的捷克共和国，则为以色列空袭加沙进行了辩解，说它是在报复哈马斯向以色列发射火箭。 |