ニュースで学ぶ現代英語 24/10/2(水)パレスチナ国連総会の席格上げ

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ニュースで学ぶ現代英語 24/10/2(水)パレスチナ国連総会の席格上げ
Hi, this is Tom Kain. It’s great to have you with us.
パレスチナ、国連で加盟国の中に席を獲得
Palestine takes seat among member states at UN

A Palestinian envoy has long attended the United Nations General Assembly as an observer. But now, for the first time, they’ve gained a place among member nations to represent the State of Palestine.
Riyad Mansour took his seat after the change was announced at the 79th session on Tuesday.
The General Assembly adopted new rights for Palestine in May. However, the U.S. vetoed a resolution in the Security Council recommending full membership. That means Palestine remains an observer and cannot vote at the UN.
Still, Mansour told NHK he welcomes what progress has been made.
(Riyad Mansour / Palestinian Permanent Observer to UN)
“It is a big deal. It is, you know, getting us closer and closer to our natural and legal right to become a member state in the United Nations.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli delegation says Palestine does not deserve the upgraded rights. It notes the Palestinian delegation has not denounced mass killing and kidnapping of Israelis by Hamas militants last October.
（2024年9月11日のニュース）

国連総会の新たな会期が９月１０日に始まり、国連で加盟国ではない「オブザーバー国家」としてこれまで一番後ろに置かれていたパレスチナの席が前方に移され、各国と同じ扱いに格上げされる変更が告知されました。(The new session of the UN General Assembly began on September 10, and Palestine, which had been placed at the back of the UN as an “observer state” and not a member state, was moved to the front of the UN General Assembly, where it will be treated the same as other countries.)

今回の措置は、５月の総会でパレスチナの国連加盟を支持する決議が日本を含む賛成多数で採択されたのを受けたものです。
(The latest measure follows the General Assembly’s adoption in May of a resolution supporting Palestinian membership in the UN by a majority vote, including Japan.)

正式な国連加盟には安保理の勧告決議が必要ですが、今年４月、アメリカが拒否権を行使したことから、パレスチナの「オブザーバー」の地位は変わらないままとなっています。パレスチナをめぐっては、将来のパレスチナ国家の樹立とイスラエルとの２国家共存への道筋をつくるべきだとして、アラブ諸国を代表してアルジェリアが正式な加盟を勧告する決議案を安保理に提出していました。(Formal UN membership requires a Security Council resolution of recommendation, but since the U.S. exercised its veto in April of this year, Palestine’s “observer” status has remained unchanged. With regard to Palestine, Algeria, on behalf of the Arab states, submitted a resolution to the Security Council recommending formal membership, saying that a path should be created for the establishment of a future Palestinian state and coexistence of two states with Israel.)

マンスール大使はＮＨＫの取材に対し「これは大きな出来事だ。国連の加盟国になるという当然かつ合法的な権利に我々を近づけるものだ」と話し、大きな成果だとの受け止めを示していました。(Ambassador Mansour told NHK, “This is a great event. It brings us closer to our natural and legitimate right to become a member of the United Nations.)

今回の措置について、イスラエルの国連代表は議場で「１０月７日に起きた殺りくや拉致を非難することを控えているパレスチナは格上げに値しない」と述べて、抗議しました。(The Israeli representative to the UN protested the measure on the floor, saying that “Palestine, which refrains from condemning the killings and abductions that took place on October 7, does not deserve to be upgraded.”)

-Today’s Takeaways. 現代英語を学ぶうえで役に立つ知識を取り上げます。
【ニュース解説に関連する英語表現】
大門さんが、国連総会でパレスチナの席が格上げされたというニュースについて解説しました。関連する表現を紹介します。
A Palestinian envoy has long attended the United Nations General Assembly as an observer.
envoy「（政府が特定の案件で派遣する）特命使節」
ambassador「大使」と同じ意味で使われます。
delegation「代表団」と言い換えられることもあります。 envoy, delegation
It is a big deal.
big deal「大事なこと、大変な（重要な）こと」
It’s no big deal. / It’s not a big deal. 大した事ない。気にしないで。
Tom:
Yeah, but we also use the phrase, big deal in an ironic sarcastic way sometimes. And this can be a little confusing, if you’re not familiar with it.
皮肉で言ったりもするんですね。
Tom:
If another person says something that they think is really impressive or important, you can say, “Big deal.” to show that you don’t think it’s impressive.