VOA标准英语2010年-Israel: White House Summit Boosts Peac

A day after Israeli and American leaders met at the White House, Israel is expressing optimism about the Middle East peace process.  The Palestinians, however, are not as enthusiastic.

Israel is hailing as a success Tuesday's White House summit between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama.  After more than a year of strained relations over Israeli settlement expansion, both leaders went out of their way to stress that bilateral¹ ties are back on track.

Mr. Obama supported Israel's demand to move to direct peace talks with the Palestinians after two months of indirect negotiations³.  Israeli President Shimon Peres says that is an important step in the right direction.  Mr. Peres said that after a long period of stagnation⁴, the peace process is getting a boost.

Israel believes that direct talks are the only way to resolve the thorniest⁵ issues of the conflict, such as the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and the final borders of a Palestinian state.

Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, though, says direct talks would be premature⁶ because of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

"The direct negotiation² is in the hand of Prime Minister Netanyahu," said Erekat.  "It's up to him.  He has the choice.  If Israel will stop settlement activities, we will have it; we will have direct negotiations."

The Palestinians say Israel's partial freeze on settlement construction is not enough. The 10-month freeze is due to end in September, and Mr. Netanyahu is under pressure from hawkish⁷ coalition⁸ partners not to renew it.
 

1 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。

2 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

3 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。

4 stagnation   

n. 停滞

参考例句：

• Poor economic policies led to a long period of stagnation and decline. 糟糕的经济政策道致了长时间的经济萧条和下滑。
• Motion is absolute while stagnation is relative. 运动是绝对的，而静止是相对的。

5 thorniest   

adj.多刺的( thorny的最高级 )；有刺的；棘手的；多障碍的

参考例句：

• Paradoxically, the thorniest outstanding issue involves Bolivia. 而荒谬可笑的是，最棘手的国家要事却牵涉到了玻利维亚。 来自互联网

6 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

7 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。

8 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。