Rice Defends Bush Travel Plans for Israel Anniversary

赖斯为布什总统访问以色列辩护

　

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Saturday defended President Bush's plan to visit Israel later this month for celebrations of its 60th anniversary, without making a corresponding visit to Palestinian areas. Rice is in Jerusalem for more talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials.

　

美国国务卿赖斯星期六为布什总统的出访行程进行辩护。布什计划本月晚些时候前往以色列访问，庆祝以色列建国60周年，但是没有访问巴勒斯坦人地区的计划。赖斯正在耶路撒冷准备和以巴双方领导人再次进行会谈。

Rice is here to lay groundwork for the Bush trip, which in addition to the Israeli birthday celebration will include political talks in Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

　

赖斯前往耶路撒冷是为布什的行程做准备。布什除了参加以色列国庆以外，还计划在以色列、埃及和沙特阿拉伯等国进行政治会谈。

Some Palestinians have accused the President of insensitivity by marking Israel's independence without observing the consequences of the creation of the Jewish state, including the flight of Palestinians from their homes.

　

一些巴勒斯坦人指责布什总统出席以色列的独立纪念庆典而忽视这个犹太国家创立的后果，包括巴勒斯坦人被迫离开自己的家园。

Mr. Bush is planning to see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the Israeli celebrations, but in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh.

　

布什总统计划在以色列的庆典之后会见巴勒斯坦权力机构领导人阿巴斯，不过地点却是在埃及的度假城市沙姆沙伊赫。

In a talk with reporters en route to Jerusalem, Rice said it is only natural that the President would want to celebrate the birth of Israel, a once-fragile state which she said has become an important friend and ally of the United States.

　

在前往耶路撒冷的途中，赖斯国务卿对新闻媒体说，布什总统前往一个曾经非常脆弱而现在已经成为美国重要盟友的国家，这是非常自然的。

But she said doing so does not mean indifference to the problems of the Palestinians, especially in the case of Mr. Bush, who she said took a courageous decision to become the first U.S. president to endorse Palestinian statehood:

　

但是赖斯说，这样做并不意味着对巴勒斯坦人的问题漠不关心。她说，布什总统是赞同建立巴勒斯坦国的第一位美国总统，这是一个勇敢的决定。

"Celebrating that does not mean that you don't recognize that there were consequences for the people of the region from that founding [of Israel], and we're still trying to deal with those consequences," she said. "And the fact that the president has talked about the need to found a Palestinian state, and has been talking about that since he became President, practically, says that he recognizes that the Palestinians also deserve to live in their own state and become a vibrant democracy."

　

赖斯说：“庆祝以色列建国并不意味着就不承认建国造成那个地区的人民被迫承受的结果，我们仍在努力解决这些后果。事实上，布什总统一直在讨论建立巴勒斯坦国的必要性，从他就任总统以来就在讨论这个问题。特别值得一提的是，他说他认识到巴勒斯坦人也应该有自己的国家，并成为一个充满生机的民主社会。”

Rice met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem and will see Palestinian President Abbas in Ramallah Sunday in an effort to keep the sides on track for a peace agreement by year's end.

　

赖斯在耶路撒冷会见了以色列总理奥尔默特，并将于星期天在拉马拉会见巴勒斯坦领导人阿巴斯，争取双边向既定方向前进，以便在今年年底前达成和平协议。

She attended a London meeting Friday of the international Quartet on the Middle East - the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - which renewed its backing for the negotiations, while also calling for an end to Israeli settlement activity, and to rocket fire into Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

　

赖斯星期五在伦敦参加了国际四方中东问题会谈。美国、俄罗斯，欧盟和联合国这四方都重新表达了对和平谈判的支持，同时还呼吁结束以色列修建定居点的活动，结束从哈马斯控制的加沙地带向以色列发射火箭的行动。

In her airborne news conference Rice, as the Quartet did Friday, expressed hope that Egyptian-led mediation efforts can help to stabilize the Gaza situation and get Israel to reopen crossing points to the blockaded territory:

　

在飞机上举行的新闻发布会上，赖斯表达了国际四方会谈星期五所表达的意愿，希望埃及领导的调解努力能够帮助稳定加沙的局势，同时让以色列重新开放通往被封闭地区的过境点。

"We're in favor of all of those goals," she added. "It's not easy because, of course, it is Hamas that is holding the Palestinian people hostage in Gaza by firing rockets into Israel, and by building up their terrorist infrastructure. But the effort the Egyptians are undertaking, and more intensive Egyptian efforts to deal with tunnels, smuggling and border control - these are all welcome developments."

　

赖斯说：“我们赞同所有这些目标。当然这并不容易，因为事实上哈马斯向以色列发射火箭、建构他们的恐怖主义基础设施，这就是将加沙的民众当成了人质。但是埃及所进行的努力，还有埃及在对付地下通道，走私以及边境控制等方面进行的更密集的努力，都是值得欢迎的行动。”

Secretary Rice met in London Saturday morning with Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad, who complained that Israeli roadblocks and barriers in the West Bank are crippling his efforts to rebuild the Palestinian economy.

　

赖斯国务卿星期六早上在伦敦会见了巴勒斯坦人总理萨拉姆.法耶兹。法耶兹抱怨说，以色列在西岸进行的道路封锁和设立隔离墙的作法破坏了巴勒斯坦人重建经济的努力。

Rice, while acknowledging Israel's security concerns, said she will press for the removal of more West Bank checkpoints beyond the 50 that Israel committed to dismantle during an earlier visit by the secretary.

　

赖斯在承认以色列有安全方面担忧的同时也表示，她要推动在约旦河西岸撤销更多的检查站。赖斯稍早访问期间，以色列承诺撤销50个检查站。