Israel could be making a concession aimed at breaking the deadlock in the Middle East peace process.
以色列可能为打破中东和平进程僵局作出让步。
Officials in the Jerusalem Municipality say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has quietly frozen new Israeli construction in the disputed eastern half of the city.
耶路撒冷市政府的官员说，以色列总理内塔尼亚胡已经悄然冻结了在有争议的东耶路撒冷进行的新的建设项目。
No new building projects have been approved in seven weeks, since Israel angered the United States by announcing plans to expand a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem. The announcement scuttled an agreement for new Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and sparked a deep crisis in U.S.-Israel relations.
自从以色列宣布在东耶路撒冷扩建犹太人社区的计划激怒了美国之后，在七个星期内一直没有新的建设项目获得批准。以色列的声明破坏了一项有关以巴之间展开新和平谈判的协议，并引发了美以关系的深重危机。
The United States backs the Palestinian demand that East Jerusalem should be the capital of a future Palestinian state. But Israel sees East Jerusalem as part of its capital and Mr. Netanyahu has said Israel will not stop building there.
美国支持巴勒斯坦的要求，即东耶路撒冷应该是未来巴勒斯坦国的首都。但是以色列认为东耶路撒冷是以色列首都的一部分。内塔尼亚胡曾表示，以色列不会停止那里的建设。
Publicly, Mr. Netanyahu must appease his coalition partners who oppose any curbs on construction in Jerusalem. But privately, he is trying to mend fences with Washington and pull the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.
内塔尼亚胡在公开场合必须安抚那些反对停止耶路撒冷建设的盟友。但是私下里，他正在试图修补与华盛顿的关系，并把巴勒斯坦人重新拉回到谈判桌前。
Israeli analyst Ra'anan Gissin says the prime minister has no choice, but to make concessions through quiet diplomacy.
以色列分析人士雷纳.辛吉说，内塔尼亚胡除了通过平静的外交手段做出让步外别无选择。
"Benjamin Netanyahu faces a very tough moment," said Gissin. "I mean he is learning the hard way what many other prime ministers in about 30 years have understood, that you first have to negotiate and strike a deal with the United States before you can even start any contacts with the Palestinian or with the Arab side."
辛吉说：“内塔尼亚胡面临一个非常艰难的时刻。我是说，他吃过苦头之后学到了三十年来其他总理们已经明白的一件事，那就是你要首先和美国进行谈判、达成一项协议，之后才能开始与巴勒斯坦或是阿拉伯方面接触。”
The Palestinian response appears positive. In an interview on Israeli television, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he is ready to start indirect peace talks.
巴勒斯坦方面的回应看起来是积极的。巴勒斯坦权力机构主席阿巴斯在接受以色列电视台采访时说，他愿意展开间接和平谈判。
Mr. Abbas said he will meet with Arab League representatives this Saturday to seek approval for resuming negotiations, and he said he hopes to get a green light.
阿巴斯说，他将于本周六会晤阿拉伯联盟的代表，寻求他们同意恢复谈判。他说，他希望会得到同意。
So there is cautious optimism on both sides that peace talks will resume next month after a 16-month stalemate.
因此，双方对于能在16个月的僵局后于下月恢复和谈都持谨慎的乐观态度。 |