VOA慢速英语--专家称以色列在世界的领导地位正在崛起

Experts Say Israeli Leader Is Rising in World Standing¹

The Trump² administration is considering setting up a military partnership³ with the Sunni Muslim leaders of Arab Gulf⁴ states. The proposed partnership would include the U.S., Egypt and Jordan. The six Arab Gulf states involved are Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The aim of the partnership would be to stop Iran’s expansion in the Middle East.

Arab and U.S. officials say the Prime Minister of Israel has been a major supporter of calls for the partnership.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been building strong security ties with Egypt and the Sunni rulers of the Arab Gulf states. All see Iran and Islamists as threats. And they consider the threat more important than their historical support of the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel.

The Trump administration has been quietly pushing forward with the idea of the partnership, officially known as the Middle East Strategic Alliance, or MESA.

Last week, the Reuters news agency reported the Trump administration hopes MESA will be discussed at talks set to take place in Washington in October.

“Netanyahu has been a sherpa helping⁵ to guide this effort,” a Gulf diplomat⁶ told VOA.

VOA Reporter Jamie Dettmer says the prime minister arguably has more power in U.S. politics than any Israeli leader before him. Some Israeli diplomats⁷ reportedly have said it sometimes is hard to know who is working for whom.

In July, an Israeli public broadcaster released a video of Netanyahu speaking to members of his Likud party. The Israeli leader said that he had helped to defeat European efforts to stop the United States from withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu said that he was responsible for finally persuading Trump to withdraw from the agreement.

In June, met with national leaders in Berlin, Paris and London, among other places. His assistants say the trip was part of a diplomatic campaign to get the Europeans to block Iran’s expansion of its military and political influence.

Netanyahu’s aides say the leaders listened more closely to the Israeli prime minister than they would have been in the past. And, the aides said his trip was successful in persuading European leaders that they need to do more to stop Iranian influence and military aims.

Improving Ties Between Israel and Russia

Netanyahu also has improved contacts with Russia and its president. Aides say Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin talk on average twice a week.

Both Trump and Putin separately praised Netanyahu during their joint⁸ press conference last month in Helsinki. Trump said, “We have worked with Israel for decades - there has never been a country closer to us, and Putin is also very close to Israel, we have both talked to Benjamin Netanyahu, and both countries want to help Israel defend itself.”

Netanyahu's standing around the world is rising at a time when he finds himself in an increasingly difficult position in Israel. He has been named in several cases of suspected corruption¹⁰ and faced public dissatisfaction over the rising cost of living.

However, recent opinion studies have suggested that while a majority of Israelis see Netanyahu as corrupt⁹, they would still vote for him.

I’m Caty Weaver¹¹.

Words in This Story

sherpa - n. someone who helps to guide mountain climbers and carry their equipment in the Himalayas

decade – n. a 10-year period

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

7 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

9 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

10 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

11 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。