VOA标准英语2010年-Mistrust Frustrates US Effort to Get I

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right, speaks with US Mideast envoy¹ George Mitchell during their meeting at Abbas' office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, 10 Aug 2010

U.S. special Middle East envoy George Mitchell left Israel this week without an agreement in hand for the resumption of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.  Wide gaps remain on key issues and mutual² distrust remains³ an obstacle.

 

Mitchell spent two days in meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials in which he relayed the latest proposals between two sides.  At the end of the U.S. mediator's trip, there was not enough common ground for the Israelis and Palestinians to begin talking.

U.S. officials had expressed optimism that an announcement would be made this week for direct negotiations⁴ to begin for the first time since the end of 2008. 

The director of the Institute of National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Oded Eran, used to head Israel's negotiations team in previous talks with the Palestinians.  He said the rift⁵ remains wide on key issues, such as the status of Jerusalem, refugees, and the borders of a future Palestinian state.

"The problem right now is to get to an agreement on the terms of reference, and their inability to reach an agreement reflects the deep gap in the positions," said Eran.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' proposal calls for a clear framework for direct talks, a framework that would include an end to all Israeli construction at Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. 

The Palestinians also want Israel to commit to the establishment of a Palestinian state whose borders would be along the lines that existed before the 1967 Arab Israeli war during which Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, heading into talks with Mr. Mitchell this week, said Israel wants no preconditions.  The two men bantered⁶ in front of reporters.

A temporary partial freeze by Israel on construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank expires next month.  Mr. Netanyahu has suggested his government will not extend the ban.

Analyst⁷ Oded Eran says the way Mr. Netanyahu sees it, agreeing to a construction freeze outside of direct negotiations would weaken Israel's position.  "The Israelis are saying, 'If we agree to this, we already made a concession⁸ which pertains⁹ to one of the three core issues, so why would we do it?' "

Palestinian leaders say they are wary¹⁰ after engaging in past negotiations that they say have led nowhere.  They essentially¹¹ want a guarantee that any new talks will bring an end to the conflict.  Ali Jerbawi is a professor of political science at Bir Zeit University in the West Bank and a member of the Palestinian cabinet.  He said, "We started negotiations many years ago and we have not reached a settlement.  So, are we sure that this time when we go to direct negotiations we are going to reach that settlement?"

Palestinian leaders called off direct talks at the end of 2008, after Israel launched a 22-day assault on militants¹² in the Gaza Strip.

 

1 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。

2 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 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。

5 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

6 bantered   

v.开玩笑，说笑，逗乐( banter的过去式和过去分词 )；（善意地）取笑，逗弄

参考例句：

• We bantered Nick on the subject of marriage. 我们就婚姻问题取笑尼克。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rival team members bantered before the game. 双方队员在比赛前互相说笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

9 pertains   

关于( pertain的第三人称单数 )； 有关； 存在； 适用

参考例句：

• When one manages upward, none of these clear and unambiguous symbols pertains. 当一个人由下而上地管理时，这些明确无误的信号就全都不复存在了。
• Her conduct hardly pertains to a lady. 她的行为与女士身份不太相符。

10 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

11 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

12 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。