Obama Pledges Support to Both Israelis and Palestinians

奥巴马旋风式访问以色列巴勒斯坦

　



U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama carried out a whirlwind tour of Israel and the Palestinian territories, meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and visiting a rocket-battered town in southern Israel.

　

美国民主党总统候选人巴拉克·奥巴马对以色列和巴勒斯坦领土进行了旋风式访问。他与以色列和巴勒斯坦领导人分别举行了会谈，奥巴马还参观了以色列南部被火箭重创的城市。

Barack Obama's visit attracted intense scrutiny and interest from both Israelis and Palestinians. The Illinois senator began his day meeting with senior Israeli cabinet members, and then met with Israel's ceremonial head of state President Shimon Peres.

　

奥巴马此次出访中东引发了以色列人和巴勒斯坦人极大的关注和强烈的兴趣。这位伊利诺伊州参议员先是和以色列内阁成员举行了会谈，然后和以色列总统佩雷斯举行了会晤。

The two men spoke to reporters and Obama, the presumptive nominee of the U.S. Democratic Party, pledged strong support for Israel.

　

会谈后双方都对记者发表了讲话，奥巴马表示将给予以色列坚定的支持。

"I am here on this trip to reaffirm the special relationship between Israel and the United States and my abiding commitment to Israel's security and my hope that I can serve as an effective partner, whether as a U.S. senator or as president in bringing about a more lasting peace in the region," Obama said.

　

“我这次来就是要重申美国和以色列之间的特别关系，以及我对以色列安全坚定不移的支持。我希望，不管是作为美国总统还是参议员，我能够成为一个有效的夥伴，促进这个地区的持久和平。”

Obama took that message of commitment to the Middle East peace process to the West Bank city of Ramallah where he met with moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

　

奥巴马在约旦河西岸城市拉马拉访问时，再次提到致力于中东和平进程的决心。他在拉马拉会晤了巴勒斯坦温和派领导人巴勒斯坦民族权力机构主席阿巴斯以及总理法亚德。

Neither man commented publicly about their meeting, but senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says Palestinians are paying close attention to both Senator Obama and his opponent John McCain.

　

不过，双方对会谈都没有公开发表评论，但是，巴勒斯坦首席谈判代表埃雷卡特说，巴勒斯坦人正在密切关注奥巴马和他的对手，共和党总统候选人约翰·麦凯恩。

"Whoever wins the election in the United States we hope they will stay the course - the course of the two-state solution - the course of ending the Israeli occupation - the course of standing shoulder to shoulder with Palestinians and Israelis in order to reach the objective specified in the 'road map' peace plan to create a two-state solution of Palestine and Israel living side-by-side in peace and security," he said.

　

“不管是谁赢得了美国总统大选，我们希望他们继续贯彻现行的方向，也就是两国并存的解决方向；结束以色列的占领；与以色列和巴勒斯坦共同努力，以达到和平路线图所规定的目标，建立巴勒斯坦国与以色列在和平和安全的情况下共存的两国方案。”

Arizona Senator John McCain, the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party, did not meet with Palestinian leaders or travel to the West Bank during his visit to Israel in March.

　

麦凯恩在今年三月份访问以色列时没有和巴勒斯坦领导人会晤，也没有访问约旦河西岸地区。

Obama also visited the southern Israeli city of Sderot, battered by Palestinian rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. Later he met with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Obama's discussions with Israeli leaders focused on Iran's nuclear program and the Mideast Peace process.

　

奥巴马还参观了以色列南部城市斯德洛特，这个城市由于巴勒斯坦从加沙发射火箭而受到严重损伤。晚些时候，奥巴马与以色列总理奥尔默特举行了会谈，议题集中在伊朗核项目问题以及中东和平进程上。

Israelis have voiced strong opposition to statements by the Illinois senator that he is willing to talk to Iran - regarded by many Israelis as their country's biggest security threat. Obama said the world must stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, saying a nuclear Iran would be a grave threat, and that if elected, he would take no options off the table to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

　

以色列人对奥巴马声明自己愿意与伊朗会谈表示强烈的反对， 以色列认为伊朗的核项目对以色列的国家安全来说是最大的威胁。奥巴马说全世界必须一起努力，制止伊朗获得核武器。他说，拥有核装备的伊朗将是重大的威胁。他还说，一旦他当选，他将采取一切可能制止伊朗获得核武器。

Obama's visit to Israel is being seen by many analysts as an attempt to shore up his support with U.S. Jewish voters.

　

许多分析人士认为，奥巴马这次访问以色列，目的是争取美国犹太选民对他的支持。

Polls indicate many are skeptical of his support for Israel, and many who vote Democratic supported his opponent in the Democratic Party primaries, Hillary Clinton.

　

民意调查显示，许多人对奥巴马支持以色列的表态表示怀疑。很多曾经投票支持民主党的人在民主党的初选中把选票投给了他的对手希拉里·克林顿。

Some Israelis like Natan Fogatt say they still do not trust the Illinois senator.

　

一些以色列人表示，他们仍然不信任这位来自伊利诺伊州的参议员。

"He has been flip-flopping on major issues throughout the entire campaign," said Fogatt. "So you would expect that when he is appearing before a Jewish group he is going to say something which they want to hear - but sure enough a day or two later when he is speaking to a different group he is going to say something different."

But other Israelis say they support Senator Obama's pledge to immediately engage in Mideast diplomacy if he is elected president in November. Many Israelis are paying close attention to Obama, with virtually all media outlets in the country providing non-stop coverage of his visit to Israel.