2006年VOA标准英语-Israeli and Palestinian Leaders Hold Rare Summi

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
23 December 2006

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert, right, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, at Olmert's official residence in Jerusalem, 23 Dec 2006

Israeli and Palestinian leaders have held a rare summit meeting. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, Israel made a number of concessions¹ as a goodwill² gesture.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert embraced Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas when he arrived in Jerusalem for their first summit meeting. The meeting, which was the first between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in a year-and-a-half, was aimed at giving a boost to the stalled peace process.

Mr. Olmert agreed to transfer $100 million in tax revenues to Mr. Abbas - money that Israel withheld³ from the ruling Islamic militant⁴ group Hamas. The prime minister also agreed to ease travel restrictions⁵ on Palestinians in the West Bank.

Israel wants to strengthen the moderate President Abbas, who is locked in an increasingly violent power struggle with Hamas. Fighting between Hamas and Mr. Abbas' Fatah faction⁶ has raised fears of a Palestinian civil war.

Hamas has been crippled by international sanctions because of its refusal to renounce⁷ violence and recognize Israel.

Israeli spokesman Mark Regev said Mr. Abbas has Israel's support because he condemns⁸ terrorism. "We see him as a partner, and we're hopeful that we can move forward with Abbas in a process of reconciliation," he said.

Mr. Abbas asked Mr. Olmert to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, but no agreement was reached. Palestinian officials say a prisoner release would help shore up support for Mr. Abbas on the Palestinian street, but Israel is reluctant to free people it says were involved in terrorism. A committee has been set up to discuss the issue further.

The two leaders also decided⁹ to meet again to build cooperation and trust.

1 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

2 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

3 withheld   

withhold过去式及过去分词

参考例句：

• I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

5 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

6 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

7 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

8 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。