VOA标准英语2009年-Poll Gives Netanyahu Positive Marks Despit

Israel's new right-wing government is about to complete its first 100 days in power, a period marked by tension with Washington over how to advance the peace process with the Palestinians. But the Israeli public is showing cautious support for the nation's new leader.
　
Benjamin Netanyahu (file photo)

A poll marking hawkish¹ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's first 100 days in office gives him positive marks despite a deepening dispute with the United States over Jewish settlements. Mr. Netanyahu enjoys a 49 percent approval rating, according to the poll published in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. That is much higher than his dovish predecessor² Ehud Olmert, who offered major territorial³ concessions⁴ to the Palestinians.

Mr. Netanyahu also scored 18 points higher than the woman he narrowly defeated in February elections-former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, a strong advocate of Palestinian statehood.

Under U.S. pressure, Mr. Netanyahu reluctantly endorsed⁵ the concept of a Palestinian state last month, but with tough conditions that were flatly rejected by the Palestinians.

David Stern, a man on the street here in Jerusalem, supports the prime minister's cautious approach.

"I don't actually expect that there will be a Palestinian state, not because of Israel's recalcitrance⁶ but because Palestinians don't seem to really want it," he said. "They want a state instead of Israel, not a state alongside Israel."

Mr. Netanyahu's support for settlement expansion has strained Israel's all-important relations with Washington. But Israeli analyst⁷ Mitchell Barak says the prime minister has managed to walk a tightrope⁸ between U.S. pressure and the demands of his nationalist coalition⁹ partners.

Barak says Mr. Netanyahu has made concessions: Israel says it will not build new settlements, but will only allow "natural growth," and there are plans to dismantle¹⁰ about two dozen illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank.

"So that was a very big step-I think unfortunately that the U.S. didn't see it as such a big step. And he was able to get his coalition to agree to that and to not attack him. So from that point of view I would give him a good score," he said.

The Israeli public is divided on the settlement issue: The poll showed that 46 percent of respondents support continuing construction in the West Bank even if it means a confrontation¹¹ with the U.S. - 44 percent were opposed.

1 hawkish   

adj. 鹰派的, 强硬派的

参考例句：

• My staff's advice that first day was amazingly hawkish. 在第一天，我的僚属们的意见是令人吃惊的鹰派意见。
• Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet. 反战团体担心巴拉克·奥巴马可以创建强硬派内阁。

2 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

3 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

4 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。

5 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 recalcitrance   

n.固执，顽抗

参考例句：

• Your recalcitrance obliges firmness on my part. 你不服从，迫使我这方面更坚定了。
• Your recalcitrance obliges firmness on me. 你们不听话，那我就得采用果断措施。

7 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。

8 tightrope   

n.绷紧的绳索或钢丝

参考例句：

• The audience held their breath as the acrobat walked along the tightrope.杂技演员走钢丝时，观众都屏住了呼吸。
• The tightrope walker kept her balance by holding up an umbrella.走钢丝的演员举着一把伞，保持身体的均衡。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 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。

11 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。