中东停火前景改善以政局继续动荡

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Prospects appear to have improved for a Middle East ceasefire. Truce efforts come amid political turmoil in Israel.

中东停火前景看来有所改善。不过，在各方争取实现停火的同时，以色列政局继续动荡。

An Israeli delegation is in Cairo to try to finalize an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire with the Islamic militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. Israel sent the delegation after the Security Cabinet backed down from a threat to launch a major military offensive in Gaza in response to daily Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks.

一个以色列代表团正在开罗，争取在埃及的调停下最后完成与伊斯兰武装组织哈马斯的停火协议。哈马斯目前控制着加沙地带。在以色列派出代表团之前，以色列安全内阁做出让步，不再威胁要发动重大军事攻势来回应加沙地带每天发生的巴勒斯坦火箭和迫击炮的攻击。

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he hopes truce efforts will succeed.

以色列国防部长巴拉克说，他希望停火努力能获得成功。

Barak, a former army chief, said he has fought in many wars, so before sending soldiers to battle it is a sacred duty to exhaust every effort for peace.

曾经担任以色列陆军参谋长的巴拉克说，他已经打了许多战争，所以在派遣军人前去作战之前，尽一切努力争取和平是他神圣的职责。

Israel is reluctant to invade Gaza fearing high casualties among Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians, and international condemnation.

以色列不太愿意入侵加沙是因为担心会造成以色列军人和巴勒斯坦平民的大量伤亡、以及遭到国际谴责。

Hamas says a ceasefire is not a done deal.

哈马斯说，停火协议并非十拿九稳。

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said the group could not agree to Israel's demand that it release captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as part of the truce agreement unless Israel frees hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Shalit has been held for two years in Gaza, since he was kidnapped in a cross-border raid.

哈马斯领导人马沙尔说，哈马斯不能同意以色列把释放被俘的以色列军人夏利特作为停火协议一部分的要求，除非以色列释放数以百计被关押的巴勒斯坦人。夏利特已经在加沙地带被关押了两年，他在一次越境袭击中被绑架。

The truce efforts come amid growing pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert who could be toppled by a corruption scandal.

在争取实现停火的同时，以色列总理奥尔默特正受到越来越大的压力，腐败丑闻有可能把他赶下台。

Defense Minister Barak said the Labor Party, Mr. Olmert's senior coalition partner, would support an upcoming bill for early elections if the prime minister does not step down.

以色列国防部长巴拉克说，如果奥尔默特总理不下台，奥尔默特的主要执政联盟伙伴工党将支持提前举行大选的提案。

It was the second blow to Mr. Olmert in as many days. On Wednesday, his Kadima party began the process for primaries to replace him. Mr. Olmert's political survival is in doubt after an American businessman testified that he gave him envelopes stuffed with cash to support a lavish lifestyle.

这是两天以来奥尔默特遭受的第二次打击。星期三，奥尔默特所在的前进党开始了党内初选程序，推选接替他的人选。奥尔默特的政治生涯能否延续引起怀疑，因为在此之前一名美国商人作证说，他给了奥尔默特一些装满现金的信封，以维持他奢侈的生活方式。

Opinion polls show that a majority of Israelis believe that the Olmert government is too unstable to make any major decisions about war or peace.

民意调查显示，大多数以色列人认为，奥尔默特政府太不稳定，无法对战争或者和平等重大问题作出决策。