VOA标准英语2009-Israel Moves Ahead With West Bank Settlements

Israel is pressing ahead with plans to build more settlement housing in the West Bank. An Israeli official announced the scheme as a meeting was getting under way in Washington between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The move could cause friction¹ with Washington, which wants Israel to stop settlement expansion.
　
An Israeli soldier walks toward the gate of Maskiot, a new settlement located deep in the West Bank's arid² Jordan Valley, 18 May 2009

The matter of Israeli settlements in the West Bank is one of the key sticking points in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinians want no Israeli presence in their state if and when it is established. Israeli authorities say there are roughly 280,000 people living in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Israeli developers and a local government official on Monday said they are moving ahead with construction at a former military site known as Maskiot in the Jordan Valley. Contractors³ toured the site on Sunday. Officials say the building plans were approved by Israel's defense⁴ ministry⁵ last year.

The construction plans are drawing protests from the Palestinians who accuse the Israelis of timing⁶ their release with Mr. Netanyahu's visit to Washington to send a message that Israel is strengthening its hold on the West Bank.

They repeated their warning that no negotiations⁷ will take place as long as Mr. Netanyahu does not endorse⁸ the creation of a Palestinian state.

The General Secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Yasser Abed Rabu, accused Mr. Netanyahu of trying to derail the peace process. He called for the United States to announce a one-year deadline.

Abed Rabu said the most important thing for the Palestinians is to see what the United States and Israel plan to do. He says the Palestinians are waiting to see what steps the United States will take and whether Washington will announce that a Palestinian state will be created within a year.

Some Israelis oppose the creation of such a state out of concern that it might be subject to takeover by Islamist militants⁹, as was the case in the Gaza Strip where the Iranian-backed Hamas movement seized the government after Israel's 2005 withdrawal¹⁰ from the enclave.

 

1 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

2 arid   

adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的

参考例句：

• These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。

3 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 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。

8 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。

9 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

10 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。