VOA标准英语2008年-Rice Defends Bush Travel Plans for Israel Anniv

By David Gollust
Jerusalem
03 May 2008

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Saturday defended President Bush's plan to visit Israel later this month for celebrations of its 60th anniversary, without making a corresponding visit to Palestinian areas. Rice is in Jerusalem for more talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials. VOA's David Gollust has a report.

Rice is here to lay groundwork for the Bush trip, which in addition to the Israeli birthday celebration will include political talks in Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Some Palestinians have accused the President of insensitivity by marking Israel's independence without observing the consequences of the creation of the Jewish state, including the flight of Palestinians from their homes.

Mr. Bush is planning to see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the Israeli celebrations, but in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh.

In a talk with reporters en route to Jerusalem, Rice said it is only natural that the President would want to celebrate the birth of Israel, a once-fragile state which she said has become an important friend and ally of the United States.

But she said doing so does not mean indifference¹ to the problems of the Palestinians, especially in the case of Mr. Bush, who she said took a courageous² decision to become the first U.S. president to endorse³ Palestinian statehood:

"Celebrating that does not mean that you don't recognize that there were consequences for the people of the region from that founding [of Israel], and we're still trying to deal with those consequences," she said.  "And the fact that the president has talked about the need to found a Palestinian state, and has been talking about that since he became President, practically, says that he recognizes that the Palestinians also deserve to live in their own state and become a vibrant⁴ democracy."

Rice met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem and will see Palestinian President Abbas in Ramallah Sunday in an effort to keep the sides on track for a peace agreement by year's end.

She attended a London meeting Friday of the international Quartet on the Middle East - the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - which renewed its backing for the negotiations⁵, while also calling for an end to Israeli settlement activity, and to rocket fire into Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

In her airborne news conference Rice, as the Quartet did Friday, expressed hope that Egyptian-led mediation⁶ efforts can help to stabilize⁷ the Gaza situation and get Israel to reopen crossing points to the blockaded territory:

"We're in favor of all of those goals," she added.  "It's not easy because, of course, it is Hamas that is holding the Palestinian people hostage in Gaza by firing rockets into Israel, and by building up their terrorist infrastructure⁸. But the effort the Egyptians are undertaking⁹, and more intensive Egyptian efforts to deal with tunnels, smuggling¹⁰ and border control - these are all welcome developments."

Secretary Rice met in London Saturday morning with Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam¹¹ Fayyad, who complained that Israeli roadblocks and barriers in the West Bank are crippling his efforts to rebuild the Palestinian economy.

Rice, while acknowledging Israel's security concerns, said she will press for the removal of more West Bank checkpoints beyond the 50 that Israel committed to dismantle¹² during an earlier visit by the secretary.

1 indifference   

n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎

参考例句：

• I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
• He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。

2 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

3 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

4 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

5 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。

6 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

7 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

10 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

11 salaam   

n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼

参考例句：

• And the people were so very friendly:full of huge beaming smiles,calling out "hello" and "salaam".这里的人民都很友好，灿然微笑着和我打招呼，说“哈罗”和“萨拉姆”。
• Salaam is a Muslim form of salutation.额手礼是穆斯林的问候方式。

12 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。