VOA标准英语 Israel Rejects Preconditions for Talks with Syria

Israel's new government is offering to resume peace negotiations¹ with Syria. But it wants to change the ground rules.
　
Israel' Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in Jerusalem (File)

Israel's ultra-nationalist Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said his government is ready to open peace talks with Syria. But he said Israel would not agree in advance to Syria's long-time demand to withdraw from the strategic Golan Heights.

"I would be happy to hold negotiations with Syria this evening, but without preconditions and ultimatums," Lieberman told Israel Radio.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967 and annexed² it in 1981. Syria says any peace talks must be based on the concept of "land for peace," and any peace agreement would require a full Israeli withdrawal³ from the Golan.

Peace talks collapsed⁴ in 2000 when Israel refused to give Syria a foothold on the Sea of Galilee. Indirect peace talks resumed last year under the previous Israeli government led by Ehud Olmert, but he has since been replaced by hawkish⁵ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Lieberman said the new government is not prepared for the same concessions⁶ as the previous one.

"Each side has a position," Lieberman said. He explained that Syria "may demand the Golan Heights in exchange for peace, while [Israel] would demand peace for peace."

Critics say Lieberman's position could harm Israel's relations with the new U.S. administration, which has vowed⁷ to make the Middle East peace process a priority. But Lieberman is known for speaking his mind. He says America's land-for-peace formula has failed and it is time for a new approach.

1 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。

2 annexed   

[法] 附加的，附属的

参考例句：

• Germany annexed Austria in 1938. 1938年德国吞并了奥地利。
• The outlying villages were formally annexed by the town last year. 那些偏远的村庄于去年正式被并入该镇。

3 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

4 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

5 hawkish   

adj. 鹰派的, 强硬派的

参考例句：

• My staff's advice that first day was amazingly hawkish. 在第一天，我的僚属们的意见是令人吃惊的鹰派意见。
• Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet. 反战团体担心巴拉克·奥巴马可以创建强硬派内阁。

6 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。

7 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。