VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Urges Israel, Palestinians to Work H

By Kent Klein
Washington
22 September 2009

U.S. President Barack Obama is urging Israeli and Palestinian leaders to do more to re-start peace talks.  Mr. Obama spoke¹ Tuesday before his first three-way meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L)watches as US President Barack Obama(C)shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New York, 22 Sep 2009
President Obama says despite years of obstacles and mistrust, the Israeli and Palestinian leaders must find a way to move the stalled peace process forward.

"Permanent status negotiations² must begin and, begin soon," he said. "And more importantly, we must give those negotiations the opportunity to succeed."

Mr. Obama spoke after separate meetings with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, which he called "frank and productive." The president said both leaders will need to end delays and make sacrifices to revive the peace talks that broke off in 2008.

"Simply put, it is past time to talk about starting negotiations. It is time to move forward," he said. "It is time to show the flexibility³ and common sense and sense of compromise that are necessary to achieve our goals."

No breakthroughs took place as the three leaders met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session in New York. But U.S. Middle East envoy⁴ George Mitchell says there are reasons for optimism.

"Both parties share the goal of a two-state solution and of comprehensive peace. And both parties seek the re-launch of negotiations as soon as possible, although there are differences between them on how to proceed," said Mitchell.

Mr. Obama says he is giving Mitchell and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton orders to take steps to advance the peace efforts.

"Senator Mitchell will meet with the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators next week. I have asked the prime minister and the president to continue these intensive discussions by sending their teams back to Washington next week," said Mr. Obama. "And I have asked the secretary of state to report to me on the status of these negotiations in mid-October."

President Obama acknowledged that progress has been made toward re-starting negotiations, but he said much more is needed.

"Palestinians have strengthened their efforts on security, but they need to do more to stop incitement⁵ and to move forward with negotiations," he continued. "Israelis have facilitated greater freedom of movement for the Palestinians, and have discussed important steps to restrain settlement activity. But they need to translate these discussions into real action, on this and other issues."

While in New York, Mr. Obama also addressed a high-level summit on climate change, called by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 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。

3 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

4 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

5 incitement   

激励； 刺激； 煽动； 激励物

参考例句：

• incitement to racial hatred 种族仇恨的挑起
• Interest is an incitement to study. 兴趣刺激学习。