2006年VOA标准英语-US Sending Emergency Medical Aid to Palest

By David Gollust
State Department
09 May 2006

 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice   
  
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States is sending $10 million in emergency medical aid to the Palestinians, but is maintaining its hard line against direct aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government. Rice held talks at the United Nations in New York Tuesday with other members of the international Middle East Quartet and Arab foreign ministers.

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The new U.S. commitment of emergency medical aid came amid reports of worsening humanitarian¹ conditions in the Palestinian areas, and pressure from other Quartet members for action to ease the Palestinian Authority's financial crisis.

But in a talk with reporters in between morning and afternoon Quartet meetings, Secretary Rice insisted again that the economic dilemma² is of the Hamas-led Palestinian government's own making, because it has spurned³ calls from the Quartet and others to accept international terms for Middle East peacemaking.

"No one wants to have to deal with a Palestinian government that, when there is a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, finds that reason to celebrate," said Ms. Rice.  "That simply is not the appropriate course. And so we will talk about how to make clear that the responsibility for the situation in the Palestinian territories is indeed the responsibility of the Palestinian government, but what we can do also to alleviate⁴ the circumstances in which the Palestinian people find themselves."

Shortly after the Hamas election victory in January, the Quartet - the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - said donors⁵ should not assist the Hamas-led government unless it accepted Israel's right to exist, renounced⁶ violence and embraced previous Palestinian commitments including the Quartet's 2003 peace road map.

Hamas, responsible for scores of anti-Israeli suicide bombings and other acts of terrorism in past years, has maintained a cease-fire with Israel but has spurned the terms set by the Quartet.

With the Palestinian economy in a tailspin because of a lack of outside aid, some Quartet members and others have pressed for an easing of curbs⁷ on assistance, perhaps allowing salaries of Palestinian civil servants to be paid through a fund run by the World Bank.

Secretary Rice said no one wants to see the Palestinian people suffer, and said the Bush administration is sending the $10 million worth of medical supplies because of its concern about the humanitarian situation in the West Bank and Gaza.

But she said Hamas has a choice to make, and if it is to govern effectively it will have to come into line with peacemaking terms she said were not just of the Quartet but the consensus⁸ of the international community, including the Arab League.

As the Quartet convened⁹, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appealed for an end to what he termed an economic boycott¹⁰ against the Palestinian people.

Palestinian officials say banks are refusing to deal with the Palestinian Authority out of fear of U.S. anti-terrorism sanctions, and that recent aid pledges by several Arab countries and Iran cannot be delivered.

The Quartet ministers met Tuesday morning with foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt and held private consultations¹¹ later.

European Union External Relations Commissioner¹² Benita Ferrero-Waldner told reporters the EU agrees with Washington that the Palestinian government bears the primary blame for the economic situation. But she said others have responsibility, notably¹³ Israel, which she said should stop impounding tax and customs money owed to the Palestinian Authority.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

3 spurned   

v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Eve spurned Mark's invitation. 伊夫一口回绝了马克的邀请。
• With Mrs. Reed, I remember my best was always spurned with scorn. 对里德太太呢，我记得我的最大努力总是遭到唾弃。 来自辞典例句

4 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

5 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 renounced   

v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• We have renounced the use of force to settle our disputes. 我们已再次宣布放弃使用武力来解决争端。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Andrew renounced his claim to the property. 安德鲁放弃了财产的所有权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 curbs   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In executing his functions he is not bound by any legal curbs on his power. 在他履行职务时，他的权力是不受任何法律约束的。 来自辞典例句
• Curbs on air travel were being worked out and would shortly be announced. 限制航空旅行的有关规定正在拟定中，不久即将公布。 来自辞典例句

8 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

9 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

10 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

11 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

13 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。