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ガザ停戦合意 楽観できぬ和平実現への道

The Yomiuri Shimbun
No optimism warranted on prospects of realizing peace in Gaza Strip
ガザ停戦合意 楽観できぬ和平実現への道

It is imperative to seek ways to realize a permanent ceasefire and pursue the road to peace in the Gaza Strip.
 恒久的停戦を実現し、和平への道を探らなければならない。

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which has effective control over the Palestinian autonomous region of Gaza, and Israel have agreed to an open-ended ceasefire after 50 days of fighting.
 パレスチナ自治区ガザを実効支配するイスラム主義組織ハマスとイスラエルが、50日の戦闘の末、ようやく無期限の停戦に合意した。

The death toll has topped 2,100 in Gaza, and most of the victims are civilians, including women and children. The two sides must give top priority to maintaining the ceasefire.
 ガザ地区の死者は2100人を超え、その大半が女性や子供など一般市民だった。双方は、停戦維持を最優先すべきである。

Since fighting started in early July, temporary ceasefires have taken effect several times through Egypt’s mediation, but none lasted for long.
 7月上旬の戦闘開始以来、エジプトの仲介による時限付きの停戦が何度か発効したが、いずれも長続きしなかった。

The recent truce was agreed upon because Hamas developed a heightened sense of crisis after three of its military leaders were assassinated by Israel. On the other hand, Israel had been pressed to bring the conflict to an early end, in light of the fact that the popularity ratings for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration have plummeted due to an increase in the number of victims from the conflict.
 無期限停戦が成立したのは、イスラエルによって軍事部門の幹部3人を暗殺されたハマスが、危機感を強めたためだ。イスラエルにも、犠牲者の増加でネタニヤフ政権の支持率が急落し、早期収拾を迫られていた事情がある。

Following the recent ceasefire accord, Israel relaxed the economic blockade it had been imposing since the Hamas seizure of Gaza in 2007, allowing humanitarian aid and materials for reconstruction work to be transported into Gaza.
 今回の合意を受け、イスラエルは、2007年のハマスによるガザ制圧以来続けてきた経済封鎖を緩和した。人道支援物資や、復旧に必要な建築資材の搬入なども認められることになった。

The U.N. World Food Program has begun to provide food assistance to Gaza.
 国連の世界食糧計画(WFP)は食糧援助を開始している。

Bumpy road ahead

However, a rough road lies ahead for reconstruction of the autonomous region.
 ただ、復旧への道は険しい。

Gaza has suffered destruction on an unprecedented scale. Its economy has been brought to the brink of collapse, with the unemployment rate reaching 50 percent. It will be difficult for Hamas to procure the estimated reconstruction costs of $6 billion on its own. Hamas faces the challenge of finding a way to secure aid from the international community.
 ガザは、前例のない規模で破壊された。失業率が50%に達するなど経済も破綻状態で、60億ドルと見込まれる復旧費用を自力で調達するのは困難だ。国際社会による支援が課題となろう。

There is concern in the United States, Europe and Egypt that if a huge amount of assistance money is provided to Hamas, which calls for the defeat of Israel, it will be misused to beef up its military capabilities.
 欧米やエジプトには、イスラエル打倒を掲げるハマスに多額の援助をすると、戦力増強に転用されかねないと懸念する声がある。

In actuality, Hamas has replenished its rocket artillery and other arms every time clashes with Israel came to a standstill and then resumed attacks.
 実際にハマスは、イスラエルとの衝突が一段落する度に、ロケット弾などの武器を補充し、攻撃を再開してきた。

For an international assistance framework to be created, it is indispensable for the Palestinian Authority, which has formed an interim government with Hamas, to serve as a channel to receive assistance, thereby ensuring transparency in the flow of aid supplies and funds. The political leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, is being put to the test in this regard.
 国際的な支援の枠組みを作るには、ハマスと暫定統一政府を組むパレスチナ自治政府が支援の窓口となり、援助物資や資金の流れの透明性を確保することが欠かせまい。アッバス自治政府議長の政治的指導力が試される。

It was also agreed that Israel and Hamas would enter indirect talks on a permanent ceasefire within a month, with Egypt acting as an intermediary. Starting the negotiations smoothly could be the first step toward achieving peace.
 一方、恒久的な停戦に向けた協議は、エジプトを仲介役とした間接交渉の形で、1か月以内に始められることになった。着実な交渉開始が和平への第一歩となる。

Israel wants to ensure its own national security, while Hamas has asked for a complete lifting of the Gaza blockade and the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Each of these demands has been left pending, as the two sides have stood firm on their positions. No optimism is warranted regarding the future course of talks.
 イスラエルは自国の安全保障を、ハマスはガザ封鎖の完全解除やパレスチナ囚人釈放などを要求している。いずれも、双方が鋭く対立してきた懸案である。交渉の行方は楽観を許さない。

International efforts—centering on those by Egypt, which has served as an intermediary in the negotiations, and the United States, which can exert influence over Israel—are essential to spur the promotion of mutual concessions by the two conflicting parties.
 仲介役のエジプトや、イスラエルへの影響力を持つ米国を中心に、国際社会が歩み寄りを促す努力を続けることが重要だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 29, 2014)Speech
by kiyoshimat | 2014-09-01 12:53 | 英字新聞

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