VOA常速英语2007-Officials Cautiously Optimistic Ahead of Rice Mi

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
13 October 2007

Israeli and Palestinian officials are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming of visit of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, due to arrive in the region on Sunday. But as Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, major obstacles stand in the way of a peace deal.

Secretary of State Rice will hold separate talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to prepare for an international peace conference in the United States later this year. She hopes to narrow the differences on a document on Palestinian statehood that would be presented at the conference.

Negotiators from both sides have been hammering out the document, and they are reporting progress. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says there are opportunities and dangers.

"I believe that this is a critical moment," he said.  "But failure to produce an agreement will change the dynamics¹ of thinking within the Palestinian society also."

Erekat warned that such a failure would erode² support for the peace process and drive Palestinians into the hands of the Islamic militant³ group Hamas. Hamas, which seeks Israel's destruction, seized control of the Gaza Strip in a civil war in June, routing the Fatah forces of Mr. Abbas, who now heads a U.S.-backed government in the West Bank.

Palestinian negotiators want commitments from Israel on key issues like the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and final borders. But Israel believes those thorny⁴ issues cannot be resolved in a short time and prefers a vague declaration of principles.

Israeli analyst⁵ Jonathan Spyer believes reports of progress are premature⁶.

"The onus⁷ is on the U.S. administration which is pushing this process to explain exactly what this atmosphere of optimism which we're all kind of getting a sense of right now, is all about," he said.  "Is there really anything concrete in terms of concessions⁸ on such issues as the refugees? The answer is it's very hard to find any concrete evidence for that."

Both Israeli and Palestinian leaders are facing stiff opposition⁹ from hardliners. Hamas has warned President Abbas not to compromise, while right-wing Israeli parties are threatening to quit Mr. Olmert's government if his concessions go too far.

1 dynamics   

n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态

参考例句：

• In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
• Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。

2 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 thorny   

adj.多刺的，棘手的

参考例句：

• The young captain is pondering over a thorny problem.年轻的上尉正在思考一个棘手的问题。
• The boys argued over the thorny points in the lesson.孩子们辩论功课中的难点。

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 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

7 onus   

n.负担；责任

参考例句：

• The onus is on government departments to show cause why information cannot bedisclosed.政府部门有责任说明不能把信息公开的理由。
• The onus of proof lies with you.你有责任提供证据。

8 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。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。