VOA标准英语2015--白宫不满以色列 争吵加剧

Friction¹ Increasing Between White House, Israel 白宫不满以色列 争吵加剧

WHITE HOUSE—

The war of words is escalating² over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to accept an invitation to speak to the U.S. Congress next week.

National security adviser³ Susan Rice’s remarks on the subject Tuesday on the "Charlie Rose" interview show, the strongest yet from the administration, have raised further questions about the state of relations between the United States and its closest ally in the Middle East.  

“On both sides, there has now been injected a degree of partisanship⁴, which is not only unfortunate, I think it's destructive of the fabric⁵ of the relationship,” Rice said.

At issue for the administration is the fact the invitation to Netanyahu came from President Barack Obama’s adversaries⁶ in the Republican-led Congress, and his visit will not include a meeting with Obama.

White House officials on Thursday backed Rice’s words, saying relations with Israel should be above domestic politics.

“There is a long tradition in the United States of ensuring that the relationship between the United States and Israel isn’t just reduced to a relationship between political parties,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

Rice’s remarks were the clearest yet on what some describe as the worst state of relations between a U.S. administration and Israel. Obama’s willingness to negotiate with Iran is one reason for the discord⁸, but it has been apparent for years the two men do not get along personally.

The U.S.-Israeli relationship as a whole is seen as too big to fail.  Obama has signed off on continued military support for the Jewish state, including funding of the Iron Dome⁷ missile defense⁹ system to intercept¹⁰ rockets from Gaza.

The troubles are due to the current set of circumstances, said former State Department official Aaron David Miller¹¹, now of the Wilson Center.

“You have the ongoing¹² soap opera that basically constitutes the personal relationship between Netanyahu and Barack Obama," he said. "You’ve got the end game on U.S.-Iranian negotiations¹³ coming and the heightened sensitivities — both on the Israeli and the American side — you’ve got [Republicans] now for the first time in the Obama administration, in eight years, in control of Congress, and you’ve got Israeli elections.”

U.S. support for Israel has in the past usually been bipartisan, but a call Thursday by Democratic lawmakers for Democrats¹⁴ to walk out during Netanyahu’s speech on March 3 was another sign the U.S. approach to Israel could be changing.

Obama in the past has sometimes spoken at annual meetings of AIPAC, the main pro-Israel lobbying group. This year, he’s sending U.N. Ambassador Samantha Powers and Rice.

1 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

2 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

3 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

4 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

5 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

6 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

7 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

8 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

9 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。

10 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

11 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

12 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。

13 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。

14 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》