2006年VOA标准英语-US Says New Israeli Settlement Would Violate 'R

By David Gollust
State Department
27 December 2006

The United States said Wednesday Israel's plan to build a new settlement in the West Bank would violate Israeli obligations under the international Middle East peace road map. The State Department said U.S. diplomats¹ are seeking an explanation from Israel. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

In unusually blunt comments, the United States said Israel's plan to build its first new West Bank settlement in a decade would violate the 2003 road map to Middle East peace, and it is reminding the Israeli government that making peace with the Palestinians requires good faith on both sides.

The comments from the State Department followed an announcement Tuesday that a former Israeli army camp in the northern Jordan Valley region of the West Bank will become a settlement housing some Israelis forced to leave Gaza when Israel dismantled³ its settlements there in 2005.

In a talk with reporters, acting⁴ State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said the United States, through diplomatic channels, is asking Israel for a clarification of its plans regarding the Maskiot settlement.

"The establishment of a new settlement or the expansion of an existing settlement would violate Israel's obligations under the road map," said Gallegos. "We are seeking an explanation from the Israeli government regarding this development. The U.S. calls on Israel to meet its road map obligations and avoid taking steps that could be viewed as pre-determining the outcome of final-status negotiations⁵."

Spokesman Gallegos said the road map states that progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts will require, and depend on, good faith efforts by both parties.

He said the United States will continue to work with Israel and the Palestinians toward the realization⁶ of a two-state settlement of the regional conflict.

The international Middle East "Quartet" - the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations - issued the road map in April, 2003.

The first phase of the multi-year peace plan calls for a freeze on Israeli settlement building and a Palestinian push to dismantle² terrorist groups.

The European Union reacted strongly to the Israeli announcement, expressing deep concern and saying such unilateral actions are illegal under international law.

Also condemned⁷ by the Palestinians, the settlement move followed some conciliatory steps including a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem last Saturday.

The Bush administration has recently been pressed by Arab governments and the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group to renew Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking efforts. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she plans to visit the region early in the new year to explore chances for progress.

1 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

3 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 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。

6 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

7 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。