2007年VOA标准英语-Israeli-Palestinian Summit Meeting Set for Sund

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
09 March 2007

Israeli and Palestinian leaders will hold a summit meeting on Sunday. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, it is the most serious effort to establish a dialogue since the Islamic militant² group Hamas won Palestinian elections over a year ago.

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A Palestinian youth climbs the separation barrier during clashes with Israeli troops at the Kalandia Checkpoint between Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah, 09 Mar 2007

The upcoming summit will be the second in three weeks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. The meeting is taking place despite Israel's disappointment that President Abbas is joining a national unity³ government with Hamas, a group that seeks the destruction of the Jewish state.

Mr. Olmert says it is important to talk to Palestinian moderates like Mr. Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen.

"I will not cut my contacts with Abu Mazen. I will continue to maintain the bilateral⁴ track," he said. "I will meet with Abu Mazen, hoping to create the necessary environment that will be helpful for the relations between us and them."

However, Israel is not willing to open formal peace talks as long as Hamas refuses to renounce⁵ violence and recognize the Jewish state. Therefore, the summit will focus on humanitarian⁶ issues.

"We want to contribute to the quality of life of the Palestinian people living in Gaza and in the West Bank in cooperation with Abu Mazen," he said.

Mr. Abbas wants to go beyond humanitarian issues and open talks on a final peace agreement and the creation of a Palestinian state.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says it is time "...to move to a realistic political track, to move from words to deeds because creating the political horizons is the most important thing for Palestinians and Israelis in the region."

Erekat said the meeting is "very important" but added that he is not going to "exaggerate expectations."

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 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。

3 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

5 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

6 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。