VOA标准英语2010年-Israel, Palestinians Look for Confiden

Even as they agreed to start indirect talks, both sides disagreed whether the negotiations¹ had officially begun.

Luis Ramirez | Jerusalem 06 May 2010
 

US Mideast envoy² George Mitchell, left, shakes hands with Israeli Defense³ Minister Ehud Barak, before their talks in Tel Aviv, Israel, 06 Apr 2010

Arab Israelis Oppose Coming Under Palestinian Rule as Israel Weighs Land Swap⁴
Listen to Luis Ramirez report:

 Listen to Susan Yackee's interview with Middle East analyst⁵ David Pollack, with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, about the U.S. effort to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

 

U.S. special envoy George Mitchell has been meeting with Israeli officials in preparation for the start of indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians.  Mr. Mitchell is due to start shuttling between Jerusalem and the West Bank on Friday, after both sides agreed to begin their first indirect negotiations in 16 months.

Even as they agreed to start indirect talks, both sides disagreed whether the negotiations had officially begun.

Palestinian leaders say they have yet to give formal approval for the U.S.-mediated negotiations, but said the talks would officially start Saturday.  Israel considered the negotiations to have begun on Wednesday, when U.S. envoy George Mitchell met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Those meetings continued behind closed doors in Tel Aviv, as Mitchell prepared to take Israel's first set of statements to the Palestinians on Friday when he crosses into the West Bank.

That both sides have agreed to talk is seen as a breakthrough.  Negotiations have been at a total standstill for 16 months.

Confidence building

The goal is to build enough trust and reach enough common ground to begin direct negotiations, something the Palestinians are not willing to do until Israel stops building settlements in the occupied West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh tells VOA the Palestinians want Israel to take confidence-building steps in these proximity⁶ talks or risk peace process collapse⁷ again. 

"If the Israelis will continue building settlements, and if the Israelis continue putting obstacles, and if the Israelis continue wasting the time, that will be a real problem," he said.

The Palestinians have put a four-month deadline on the indirect talks.  Abu Rudeineh says they are relying on the United States to put pressure on Israel.

"As we have told the Americans many times, we are committed to the peace process," he said.  "And they should be the judge.  They cannot keep just telling us that should be a serious Israeli partner looking forward to have real, serious negotiations."

Protecting security

Israel says its main concern is protecting its own security, but says it is willing to discuss all issues in the proximity talks.  Israeli officials have not said specifically what they are proposing to the Palestinians in these negotiations.

Analysts⁸ say they hope the talks will, at the very least, yield details of what the Jewish State is prepared to offer.  Akiva Eldar is a senior columnist⁹ with Haaretz newspaper in Tel Aviv.

"I expect to know hopefully in the next few days or weeks what my government is putting on the table," he said.  "What are they willing to offer the Palestinians in return for peace, because Israel is holding the goods.  I know what the Palestinians are offering.  I do not think this is going to change."    

The talks are expected to last several months.  Mitchell, who built his reputation as a skillful mediator¹⁰ in resolving the conflict in Northern Ireland, will put to work the patience for which he is known.

 

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 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。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

7 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

10 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。