Rice Criticizes Settlement Expansion on Arrival in Israel
赖斯抵达中东批评以扩建定居点

　 
The United States' top diplomat has arrived in the Middle East to try to give a boost to the peace process. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is pushing for a peace agreement before President Bush leaves office in January.

美国国务卿赖斯抵达中东访问，争取推动中东和平进程。

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began her peace mission with harsh criticism of Israel's announcement that it plans to build 1,300 new homes in disputed East Jerusalem. Rice told reporters on her plane that settlement expansion does not build confidence and is an obstacle to peace.

美国国务卿赖斯在这次和平之旅的一开始就对以色列宣布计划在有争议的东耶路撒冷地区修建1300套住宅提出严厉批评。赖斯在飞机上对记者表示，扩大定居点无助于建立互信，是和平的障碍。

The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. But Israel says it can build anywhere in Jerusalem because it will be the capital of the Jewish state in any final peace agreement. "Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem will remain part of Jerusalem in final status talks, and the truth is everyone understands that," said Israeli spokesman Mark Regev.

巴勒斯坦人宣称东耶路撒冷是他们未来国家的首都。而以色列则表示，他们可以在耶路撒冷的任何地方修建住宅，因为在任何最后的和平协议中，耶路撒冷都会成为以色列首都。以色列发言人雷格夫说：“在最终的地位问题谈判中，耶路撒冷的犹太人社区都会继续是耶路撒冷的一部分。事实上，每个人都了解这一点。”

Israel has announced plans to build some 3,000 new homes in East Jerusalem and the West Bank since peace talks resumed six months ago. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says enough is enough. "This cannot stand," said Erekat. "The government of Israel has a choice, either to continue the settlement activity or to continue the peace process. It cannot have both."

自从6个月前恢复和平谈判以来，以色列已经宣布计划在东耶路撒冷和约旦河西岸修建大约3000个住宅。巴勒斯坦谈判代表埃雷卡特表示，已经受够了。他说：“这不行。以色列政府可以在两者中做出选择，要么继续扩大定居点，要么继续和平进程。不能两个都要。”

The settlement issue will be high on the agenda when Rice meets separately with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday.

定居点问题将是赖斯和以色列总理奥尔默特以及巴勒斯坦民族权力机构主席阿巴斯分别会谈时的主要议题。