Top Biden administration officials urged Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to abandon plans to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than 1.4 million Palestinian civilians seek safety, as U.S.-Israel tensions brew over Israel's conduct in its six-month-old war against Hamas.

拜登行政当局高级官员敦促以色列国防部长约夫·加兰特（Yoav Gallant）放弃攻入加沙南部城市拉法的计划，那里有超过140万巴勒斯坦平民寻求安全。目前以色列打击哈马斯的战争已经持续了六个月，以方在战争中的做法使美以之间的矛盾不断发酵。

In meetings Monday and Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel's right to defend itself while reiterating opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned ground offensive to target Hamas in Gaza's southernmost city on the border with Egypt.

在周一和周二的会议上，国防部长劳埃德·奥斯汀（Lloyd Austin）和国务卿安东尼·布林肯（Antony Blinken）重申美国支持以色列自卫的权利，同时重申反对总理本雅明·内塔尼亚胡（Benjamin Netanyahu）计划对这个加沙最南端与埃及接壤的城市发动地面进攻。以色列表示，为了剿灭哈马斯的军事力量，必须攻入拉法。

"Our goal [is] to help Israel find an alternative to a full-scale and perhaps premature military operation that could endanger the over 1 million civilians that are sheltering in Rafah," a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Tuesday, briefing on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon.

周二，一名美国高级国防官员在做简报时对记者表示：“我们的目标是帮助以色列找到替代方案，以替代这一全面且可能不成熟的军事行动，这一行动可能危及在拉法避难的超过100万平民。”该官员根据五角大楼制定的基本规则匿名发言。

A major ground operation in Rafah would further jeopardize the welfare of Palestinian civilians, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Monday. He added that Blinken underscored to Gallant that "alternatives exist" that would both better ensure Israel's security and protect Palestinian civilians.

美国国务院发言人马修·米勒（Matthew Miller）周一表示，在拉法进行的大规模地面行动将进一步危及巴勒斯坦平民的福祉。他补充说，布林肯向加兰特强调，“替代方案是存在的”，既能更好地确保以色列的安全，又能保护巴勒斯坦平民。

Amid a looming famine in Gaza, Austin warned of the "humanitarian catastrophe" in the Palestinian enclave, describing civilian casualties as "far too high" and aid deliveries as "far too low." His remarks echoed Blinken's calls for Israel "to immediately surge and sustain" more aid.

面对加沙迫在眉睫的饥荒，奥斯汀警告称这一巴勒斯坦飞地将发生“人道主义灾难”，称平民伤亡“太多”，而送达的援助数量“太低”。他的言论呼应了布林肯要求以色列“立即增加并维持”更多援助的呼吁。

The Netanyahu government has denied accusations by international aid agencies and the United Nations that Israel is blocking aid and provoking famine in Gaza as part of its strategy to root out Hamas.

内塔尼亚胡政府否认了国际援助机构和联合国的指控，即以色列阻止援助并在加沙挑起饥荒，作为其根除哈马斯战略的一部分。

Similar admonitions were likely being conveyed by White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan. In a sign of potentially complicated talks, Sullivan's meeting with Gallant, originally scheduled for Monday, was extended an extra day.

白宫国家安全顾问杰克·沙利文（Jake Sullivan）可能也发出了类似的警告。沙利文与加兰特原定于周一举行的会面被延长了一天，这表明会谈可能十分复杂。

"They believed it was important to continue the conversation," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

“他们认为继续对话很重要，”白宫新闻秘书卡琳·让-皮埃尔（Karine Jean-Pierre）说。

Sullivan told reporters last week that President Joe Biden himself had warned Netanyahu an invasion in Rafah would be a mistake and urged him to have a "coherent and sustainable strategy" to defeat Hamas.

沙利文上周告诉记者，乔·拜登（Joe Biden）总统本人曾警告内塔尼亚胡攻入拉法将是一个错误，并敦促他制定“连贯且可持续的战略”来击败哈马斯。

'Don't do it'
“不要这么做”

Netanyahu insists that the goal of "total victory" against Hamas cannot be achieved without going into Rafah, where Israel says there are four Hamas battalions composed of thousands of fighters.

内塔尼亚胡坚称，如果不进入拉法，就无法实现对哈马斯的“全面胜利”目标，以色列称拉法有四个由数千名战斗人员组成的哈马斯营。

Initially, the Biden administration said they would not support a Rafah offensive without sufficient protection of civilians.

拜登政府最初表示，如果不能充分保护平民，他们就不会支持对拉法的攻势。

Now, they're telling Israel, "Don't do it," said Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former U.S. negotiator in Middle East peace talks.

卡内基国际和平基金会（Carnegie Endowment for International Peace）高级研究员、美国前中东和平谈判代表亚伦·戴维·米勒（Aaron David Miller）表示，如今，拜登政府告诉以色列，“不要这么做”。

"It's not now a question of making sure that the population is somehow safeguarded," he told VOA. "They just don't want the Israelis to do it."

他对美国之音（VOA）表示：“现在不是确保民众得到某种保护的问题了。他们就是不想让以色列人这样做。”

Despite the pressure piled on Gallant this week, the decision on Rafah would have to be taken by the Israeli War Cabinet, whose members in addition to Gallant include Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, former minister of defense and deputy prime minister, as well as two observers — opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot and Ron Dermer, Netanyahu's close adviser.

尽管加兰特本周面临巨大压力，但有关拉法的决定必须由以色列战时内阁做出，除加兰特外，内阁成员还包括内塔尼亚胡和前国防部长兼副总理本尼·甘茨（Benny Gantz）以及两名观察员 ——反对派政治人物加迪·艾森科特（Gadi Eisenkot）和内塔尼亚胡的亲密顾问罗恩·德默（Ron Dermer）。

Gallant's meetings have been the main high-level consultation mechanism between the U.S. and its ally, as Netanyahu abruptly canceled plans for a visit by a separate Israeli delegation.

与加兰特的会议一直是美以两个盟友之间的主要高层磋商机制，而内塔尼亚胡突然取消了以色列另一个代表团的访问计划。

That was done in protest of Washington's abstention at the U.N. that allowed the adoption of a Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

内塔尼亚胡这样做是为了抗议华盛顿在联合国投弃权票，使得联合国安理会通过了一项决议，要求加沙立即停火并释放哈马斯扣押的人质。

Netanyahu accused the U.S. of shifting from its prior position of conditioning the cease-fire call on the release of hostages, which the administration denies.

内塔尼亚胡指责美国改变了之前以释放人质作为停火呼吁条件的立场，但拜登政府否认了这一点。

More weapons
更多武器

Gallant, a security hawk who supports a ground operation in Rafah, had aimed to use his Washington visit to ramp up the transfer of American weapons. In remarks ahead of his meeting with Austin, he said he wants to "ensure Israel's military edge and capabilities."

加兰特是一名安全事务上的鹰派，支持在拉法开展地面行动，他的目的是利用他的华盛顿之行推动把美国武器转让给以色列。在与奥斯汀会面之前的讲话中，他表示希望“确保以色列的军事优势和能力”。

Israel needs U.S. arms not only for the campaign in Gaza but also to prepare for further escalation in the north of the country with Hezbollah in Lebanon, said Brian Finucane, senior adviser for the U.S. Program at the International Crisis Group. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, the two sides have exchanged fire through thousands of rocket and missile launches.

国际危机组织（International Crisis Group）美国项目高级顾问布莱恩·菲努坎（Brian Finucane）表示，以色列不仅需要美国武器来应对加沙地带的军事行动，还需要为以色列北部与黎巴嫩真主党的冲突进一步升级做准备。

"The U.S. has real leverage here," Finucane told VOA. "The best-case scenario would be if the U.S. actually did use its abundant leverage, both unilaterally and multilaterally, to try to bring about a cease-fire."

菲努坎对美国之音表示：“美国在这里拥有真正的筹码。最好的情况是美国确实利用其丰裕的筹码，无论是单边还是多边，力争实现停火。”

While Biden has begun using his diplomatic leverage by abstaining at the U.N., he is unlikely to condition or restrict military aid to Israel as he aims to keep the conflict from spreading.

虽然拜登已经开始利用他的外交影响力，在联合国投弃权票，但是，在拜登试图防止冲突蔓延之际，他不太可能制约或限制对以色列的军事援助。

"The last thing he should want to do is to send an unmistakable signal to Hezbollah and Iran that we're not prepared to back the Israelis, if, in fact, there is an escalation in the Israeli northern border," said Miller.

米勒说：“他最不想做的事情就是向真主党和伊朗发出明确的信号，即如果以色列北部边境局势升级，我们不准备支持以色列。”

The most fundamental goal for Biden right now, he said, is reaching a deal in the cease-fire negotiations in Qatar. Hamas says it will release hostages only as part of a deal that would end the war, while Israel says it will discuss only a temporary pause.

他说，拜登目前最根本的目标是在卡塔尔停火谈判中达成协议。哈马斯表示，只有作为结束战争协议的一部分，他们才会释放人质，而以色列则表示，只会讨论暂时停战的问题。

US arms for Israel
美国给以色列的武器

The U.S. has committed to provide Israel with nearly $4 billion a year in aid through 2028, most of it in the form of military assistance. Approximately $3.3 billion per year is given under the Foreign Military Financing program, funds that Israel must use to purchase U.S. military equipment and services.

美国承诺到2028年每年向以色列提供近40亿美元的援助，其中大部分以军事援助的形式。美国计划按照“对外军事融资”（Foreign Military Financing），每年提供约33亿美元，以色列必须使用这些资金购买美国的军事装备和服务。

Since the Gaza war began, the administration has quietly delivered more than 100 separate foreign military sales to Israel. The arms transfers were processed without public debate because the administration broke up the sales packages in amounts below the threshold that requires them to notify Congress, according to a defense official who spoke to VOA on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military matter.

自加沙战争爆发以来，拜登行政当局向以色列交付了100多项单独的对外军售（FMS）而没有对外声张。一名因讨论敏感军事问题而不愿透露姓名的国防官员向美国之音表示，办理这些武器转让没有经过公开辩论，因为行政当局将军售方案的金额拆分为低于要求其通知国会的门槛。

Under pressure from Democratic lawmakers, last month the White House released a National Security Memorandum requiring the U.S. secretary of state to "obtain credible and reliable written assurances" from foreign governments that U.S. weapons are used in accordance with international and humanitarian law.

在民主党议员的压力下，白宫上个月发布了一份国家安全备忘录，要求美国国务卿从外国政府“获得可信且可靠的书面保证”，确保美国武器的使用符合国际法和人道主义法。

Gallant delivered Israel's required written assurances ahead of the deadline on Sunday. Under the memorandum, the State Department has until early May to formally assess and report to Congress whether those assurances are "credible and reliable." Without it, Biden has the option of suspending further U.S. arms transfers.

格兰特在周日的截止日期之前交付了以色列所需的书面保证。根据该备忘录，美国国务院必须在5月初之前正式评估并向国会报告这些保证是否“可信且可靠”。如果这些保证并不“可信且可靠”，拜登可以选择暂停进一步的美国武器转让。

So far, Biden has not indicated any willingness to do so. In his call with Netanyahu last week, the president "didn't make threats," Sullivan said. "Each of them recognizes that we are at a critical moment in this conflict."

截至目前，拜登尚未表明任何这样做的意愿。沙利文说，总统在上周与内塔尼亚胡的通话中“没有发出威胁”。他说：“他们每个人都认识到我们正处于这场冲突的一个关键时刻。”

Jeff Seldin contributed to this report.

(美国之音国家安全事务记者塞尔丁对本文亦有贡献。)