分析：以色列加入歐盟？字，字，字
Analysis: Israel joining the EU? Words, words, words
By HERB KEINON
04/02/2010 02:47
For security, diplomatic and emotional reasons, this piquant idea is a nonstarter.
為安全、外交和感情上的理由，這夠刺激的想法純屬構想。
When Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi stood in the Knesset Wednesday and reiterated what he has said repeatedly during his visit here about his dream for Israel’s joining the EU, everyone in the plenum clapped.
當意大利總理貝盧斯科尼星期三在議會中站立，重申他來此訪問期間己多次表示，他的夢想是以色列加入歐盟，全會每個人都拍手。
They clapped even though they know that this will probably never happen, not only because the EU is not all that interested in our membership, but also because we don’t necessarily want to join that club.
他們鼓掌即使他們知道這可能永遠不會發生，不僅是因為歐盟不是完全有興趣於我們的會籍，亦因為我們並不需要加入該會。
Yet Berlusconi offers and we clap. We clap even though there is no blueprint for implementation, but simply because of what the offer represents; the symbolism of the gesture.
然而貝盧斯科尼給予，則我們鼓掌；我們拍手即使連藍本也沒有，純由於給予表徵什麼；姿態的象徵意義。
Israel is not, to put it mildly, Europe’s flavor of the month. It is demonized by some (think Swedish press), accused of war crimes by others (think British legal system), and vilified by still others (think Irish politicians).
說得客氣一點，以色列不是歐洲本月的口味。它被一些人（想是瑞典新聞界）妖魔化，其他人則指控戰爭罪（想是英國的合法系统），和還有一些其他人辱罵（想是愛爾蘭政治家）。
And yet despite it all, here comes the leader of Italy – not a small, insignificant member of the EU – and says from every podium in Israel that “you are like us, we want you.”
然而儘管它的種種，意大利的領袖來了這裡 - 不是一個小而微不足道的歐盟 成員- 並在以色列的每個講台說：“你們似我們，我們想要你們。”
For a nation feeling increasingly isolated, those words are refreshing and duly applauded.
對於一個感到越來越孤立的國家，這些話是感覺煥然一新和值得鼓掌。
But don’t be confused by the applause. Israel is in no great hurry to join the EU. In fact, Israel has never applied to join the EU, an obvious prerequisite for membership.
但不要被掌聲迷惑，以色列並不急於加入歐盟；事實上，以色列從未申請加入歐盟，一個成為會員的明顯大前提。
It’s not because no one has ever given this idea any thought. Back in 2002, when Binyamin Netanyahu was finance minister, he visited Berlusconi and asked him to consider including us in the club.
不是因為從來沒有人提出這個想法，回至2002年當內塔尼亞胡是財政部長，他探過貝盧斯科尼和請求過他考慮在俱樂部包括我們。
The idea sparked the imagination of some in Jerusalem at the time, and papers were prepared on the issue by the Foreign Ministry. The bottom line was that membership at this time would not be in Israel’s best interest because it would be based on the EU’s four freedoms of movement: of people, merchandise, money and services.
那時這個主意引發一些在耶路撒冷的想像，在外交部在這個問題上預備好文件。底線是這個時候的那會籍不會是以色列的最佳利益，因為它將根據歐盟的四項自由流動：人民、商品、資金和服務。
Israel, considering its rather tricky security considerations, is not about to agree to the free movement of all Europeans in and out of Israel. Not now, not yet.
以色列考慮到其相當棘手的安全顧慮，不是時候同意所有歐洲人的自由流動以進出以色列，不是現在、未曾。
Those papers, however, were rather technical. But there are other issues, some of them more poetic.
For instance, after 2,000 years of exile, the Jewish people finally won their hard-fought for independence in 1948, gaining a flag, an anthem, and – finally – political sovereignty.
Considering that, Israel will not be so willing – at least not in its relative youth – to forfeit any part of that independence to another body, to place its flag under that of another organization. And, that – to a certain extent – is what EU membership would entail.
Membership in the EU would mean that Israel’s foreign policy would have to align itself with the EU’s, as would its industrial, economic and agricultural policies. If the EU said Israeli farmers could only grow a certain type of red pepper, it would only be able to grow a certain type of red pepper.
Or, as Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos put it at the Herzliya Conference on Tuesday, “Can anyone imagine [Foreign Minister Avigdor] Lieberman working under High Representative [Catherine] Ashton?” Ashton is the EU’s new foreign affairs chief.
By the same token, it is extremely difficult to imagine that the Europeans would take us into the club as long as the conflict with the Palestinians and the Arabs rages on. One only has to look at the trouble Israel has had trying to get a relatively mild political upgrade in its relations with EU, a process that was grounded following Operation Cast Lead, to imagine what it would be like to actually apply for full-scale membership.
It is almost inconceivable to think that the EU would grant Israel membership as long as there was not a full withdrawal to the 1967 lines, including in the Golan Heights and east Jerusalem. And it is equally inconceivable to think Israel would make those withdrawals just to join this club.
So Berlusconi’s words are just that – words. They are nice words, they indicate how strongly he feels about us, but the chances of Israel joining the EU at this point are about as good as the chances of Israel becoming, well, America’s 51st state.
當意大利總理貝盧斯科尼星期三在議會中站立，重申他來此訪問期間己多次表示，他的夢想是以色列加入歐盟，全會每個人都拍手。
They clapped even though they know that this will probably never happen, not only because the EU is not all that interested in our membership, but also because we don’t necessarily want to join that club.
他們鼓掌即使他們知道這可能永遠不會發生，不僅是因為歐盟不是完全有興趣於我們的會籍，亦因為我們並不需要加入該會。
Yet Berlusconi offers and we clap. We clap even though there is no blueprint for implementation, but simply because of what the offer represents; the symbolism of the gesture.
然而貝盧斯科尼給予，則我們鼓掌；我們拍手即使連藍本也沒有，純由於給予表徵什麼；姿態的象徵意義。
Israel is not, to put it mildly, Europe’s flavor of the month. It is demonized by some (think Swedish press), accused of war crimes by others (think British legal system), and vilified by still others (think Irish politicians).
說得客氣一點，以色列不是歐洲本月的口味。它被一些人（想是瑞典新聞界）妖魔化，其他人則指控戰爭罪（想是英國的合法系统），和還有一些其他人辱罵（想是愛爾蘭政治家）。
And yet despite it all, here comes the leader of Italy – not a small, insignificant member of the EU – and says from every podium in Israel that “you are like us, we want you.”
然而儘管它的種種，意大利的領袖來了這裡 - 不是一個小而微不足道的歐盟 成員- 並在以色列的每個講台說：“你們似我們，我們想要你們。”
For a nation feeling increasingly isolated, those words are refreshing and duly applauded.
對於一個感到越來越孤立的國家，這些話是感覺煥然一新和值得鼓掌。
But don’t be confused by the applause. Israel is in no great hurry to join the EU. In fact, Israel has never applied to join the EU, an obvious prerequisite for membership.
但不要被掌聲迷惑，以色列並不急於加入歐盟；事實上，以色列從未申請加入歐盟，一個成為會員的明顯大前提。
It’s not because no one has ever given this idea any thought. Back in 2002, when Binyamin Netanyahu was finance minister, he visited Berlusconi and asked him to consider including us in the club.
不是因為從來沒有人提出這個想法，回至2002年當內塔尼亞胡是財政部長，他探過貝盧斯科尼和請求過他考慮在俱樂部包括我們。
The idea sparked the imagination of some in Jerusalem at the time, and papers were prepared on the issue by the Foreign Ministry. The bottom line was that membership at this time would not be in Israel’s best interest because it would be based on the EU’s four freedoms of movement: of people, merchandise, money and services.
那時這個主意引發一些在耶路撒冷的想像，在外交部在這個問題上預備好文件。底線是這個時候的那會籍不會是以色列的最佳利益，因為它將根據歐盟的四項自由流動：人民、商品、資金和服務。
Israel, considering its rather tricky security considerations, is not about to agree to the free movement of all Europeans in and out of Israel. Not now, not yet.
以色列考慮到其相當棘手的安全顧慮，不是時候同意所有歐洲人的自由流動以進出以色列，不是現在、未曾。
Those papers, however, were rather technical. But there are other issues, some of them more poetic.
For instance, after 2,000 years of exile, the Jewish people finally won their hard-fought for independence in 1948, gaining a flag, an anthem, and – finally – political sovereignty.
Considering that, Israel will not be so willing – at least not in its relative youth – to forfeit any part of that independence to another body, to place its flag under that of another organization. And, that – to a certain extent – is what EU membership would entail.
Membership in the EU would mean that Israel’s foreign policy would have to align itself with the EU’s, as would its industrial, economic and agricultural policies. If the EU said Israeli farmers could only grow a certain type of red pepper, it would only be able to grow a certain type of red pepper.
Or, as Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos put it at the Herzliya Conference on Tuesday, “Can anyone imagine [Foreign Minister Avigdor] Lieberman working under High Representative [Catherine] Ashton?” Ashton is the EU’s new foreign affairs chief.
By the same token, it is extremely difficult to imagine that the Europeans would take us into the club as long as the conflict with the Palestinians and the Arabs rages on. One only has to look at the trouble Israel has had trying to get a relatively mild political upgrade in its relations with EU, a process that was grounded following Operation Cast Lead, to imagine what it would be like to actually apply for full-scale membership.
It is almost inconceivable to think that the EU would grant Israel membership as long as there was not a full withdrawal to the 1967 lines, including in the Golan Heights and east Jerusalem. And it is equally inconceivable to think Israel would make those withdrawals just to join this club.
So Berlusconi’s words are just that – words. They are nice words, they indicate how strongly he feels about us, but the chances of Israel joining the EU at this point are about as good as the chances of Israel becoming, well, America’s 51st state.
意大利支持以色列的歐盟會籍
Italy backs Israel for EU membership
Last Updated: Monday, February 1, 2010 2:15 PM ET
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/02/01/italy-israel-eu-100201.html#socialcomments
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