VOA标准英语2009年-US Congressman: Iran is Threat, Not Israel
时间：2019-01-14 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2009年(八月)
A delegation 1 of conservative congressmen from the United States is on a solidarity 2 visit to Israel. They are concerned about Washington's Middle East policies.
Congressman 3 Eric Cantor (c), with delegation of Republican members of Congress, during press conference in Jerusalem, 06 Aug 2009
The delegation of 25 congressmen from the Republican Party blasted the Obama administration for pressuring Israel to halt settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Eric Cantor, who is heading the delegation, says U.S. President Barack Obama's policies are misguided. He says the U.S. should be focusing on Iran's quest for nuclear weapons.
"Any discussion of settlements, any discussion of the issues of living in East Jerusalem, should not take precedent 4 over the primary focus of import which is the growing threat of a nuclear Iran," Cantor said.
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. But Israel believes Iran could have a nuclear bomb in a year. That is a cause of great concern here because Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has threatened to wipe the Jewish state "off the map."
Israel has been agitated 5 by President Obama's plan to open a dialogue with Iran, while pressing for a one year freeze on Jewish settlement activity in the West Bank. A report in Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper says the Obama administration feels such a freeze might lead to Arab concessions 6 in the Mideast peace process. But Congressman Cantor told Israel Radio that the U.S. should lay off.
"We do not want to see undue 7 pressure placed on Israel. We believe very much in Israel's right to secure itself, to administer its laws," Cantor said. "There is no stronger democratic ally in this region than Israel and we're here to reconfirm and affirm that."
The congressmen also met with Palestinian leaders in the West Bank, to express support for the two-state solution.
The delegation's visit underscores the traditionally pro-Israel position of the U.S. Congress. Israel has often depended on congressional support when it has disagreements with the White House. Democrats 8 in Congress are expected to travel to Israel next week.
- The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
- We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。
- They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
- The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。
- He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
- The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
- Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
- This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。
- His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。
- She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。
- 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。
- Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
- It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。