VOA标准英语2009年-Netanyahu Hopes US Mediation Efforts Will

By Luis Ramirez
Jerusalem
30 October 2009

 
Israeli PM Benyamin Netanyahu meeting with US Middle East peace envoy¹ George Mitchell in Jerusalem, 30 Oct 2009 (picture released by the Israeli Government Press office)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told visiting U.S. envoy George Mitchell he hopes peace talks with the Palestinians will re-launch as soon as possible. Mitchell is in Israel preparing the ground for a visit Saturday by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is yet another sign of President Barack Obama's urgent drive to restart the talks, which have been stalled since December.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday said he hopes the flurry of visits by high-ranking U.S. officials will help re-launch the peace negotiations² as soon as possible.

Speaking as he headed into a meeting with U.S. envoy George Mitchell, the Israeli leader brought up the subject of Iran's nuclear activities which Israel believes are for military purposes.  Mr. Netanyahu expressed appreciation³ for what he said are U.S. efforts to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear military capability⁴. He gave a cautious endorsement⁵ of U.S.-backed U.N. plan to handle Iran's enriched uranium.

"I think that the proposal that the President made in Geneva to have Iran withdraw its enriched uranium, or a good portion of it, outside Iran is a positive first step in that direction and I support and appreciate the President's ongoing⁶ efforts to unite the international community to address the challenge of Iran's attempts to become a nuclear military power," said Mr. Netanyahu.

Secretary Clinton is due in Israel for talks with Israeli leaders on Saturday.  She is earlier scheduled to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Abu Dhabi.

U.S. mediators face huge gaps as they try to broker⁷ a return to talks, with neither side showing signs of a willingness to compromise. 

The Palestinians insist they will not go back to negotiations until Israel freezes all construction on Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel says it wants negotiations without preconditions and has offered only a partial freeze on construction.

The visits by U.S. officials have been preceded by clashes over the last few weeks between Israeli police and Palestinians, as well as deepening divisions among Palestinian factions⁸.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 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。

3 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

4 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

5 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

6 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

7 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

8 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别