VOA标准英语2011--Despite US Opposition, Palestinians Seek UNESCO Membership

Despite US Opposition¹, Palestinians Seek UNESCO Membership

Despite strong opposition from the United States, the Palestinians are seeking full membership in UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which is currently meeting in Paris. The move jeopardizes² America’s funding for the organization.

It is Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, where millions of pilgrims and tourists visit the Church of the Nativity each year, built over the site tradition says is the birthplace of Christ.

Palestinians have asked UNESCO to make this a World Heritage site, but without a Palestinian state they say that can't happen.

So the Palestinians have asked UNESCO for full membership, following September’s request to be admitted to the United Nations.

Maen Rashid Areikat, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s representative to the U.S., said “Part of that is to complement³ what we are doing at the United Nations and secondly⁴, because we really want to preserve our own religious and cultural sites.”

UNESCO’s executive board gave initial approval to the Palestinian’s request, despite opposition from the United States.

“I think that they believe that this is a way to advance their cause. I think they are wrong," said Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise Institute.“The problem is that peace is not going to come out of a bottle. It is not going to come out of a process at the U.N. It is going to come out of a negotiated agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians and this step is not on that road.”

UNESCO promotes education and arts in developing countries, such as Afghanistan.

Palestinian membership could trigger a cut off in U.S. contributions to UNESCO, more than $70 million per year, about 20 percent of its budget.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said “The problem here is that a move in UNESCO is not going to create a Palestinian state that is secure, living next to Israel in security, in self-determination and in mutual⁵ recognition.”

Twenty years of talks with Israel have failed to produce a Palestinian state.

PLO representative Maen Rashid Areikat said “Going to the U.N. is a diplomatic, political, nonviolent, legitimate⁶ effort on the part of the Palestinians to have the U.N. address Palestinian concerns and once and for all put an end to the Israeli occupation.”

The Palestinians hope full membership in UNESCO and recognition of the Church of the Nativity as a World Heritage site will bring them closer to becoming an independent state.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 jeopardizes   

危及，损害( jeopardize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• If your reckless behavior jeopardizes this mission, you're out! 如果你不注意你的言行，会危及到这次任务你也会被开除！
• Factionalism now seriously jeopardizes our overall interest. 现在闹派性已经严重地妨害我们的大局。

3 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

4 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

5 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。

6 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。