以色列前总理沙龙去世

 　　以色列前总理沙龙去世

　　TEL AVIV, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has died on Saturday at the age of 85, the director of the Rehabilitation¹ Hospital at the Sheba Medical center confirmed at a press conference in the hospital.

　　"The Sheba Medical Center sadly announces the death of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon," Prof. Shlomo Noy told reporters.

　　"Throughout the years he has been in a coma², his condition was defined as minimal³ consciousness, which referred to some minimal, nonverbal, abilities of communication," Shlomo Noy said.

　　"Sharon had overcome many medical complications due to his condition. In the past week he had fought for his life. Today, his heart gave up, while his family members surrounded him," he added.

　　A few minutes before the official announcement, Sharon's son Gilad announced his father's death in the hospital, saying "he left when he decided⁴ to leave."

　　As news broke out, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his regret over the passing of Sharon.

　　"The state of Israel bows its head in sorrow for the passing of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon," Netanyahu said, according to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office.

　　"Ariel Sharon had been a central part in the struggle over the security of Israel throughout its years. He was a brave soldier and an outstanding military leader who served Israel in the battlefield from his early youth," Netanyahu said.

　　"After he took off his uniform, he served Israel in various roles in the governments of Israel, and of course as the 11th Israeli Prime Minister. His memory would be treasured forever in the heart of the nation," the prime minister said.

　　Israeli President Shimon Peres, who was Sharon's biggest opponent and then his ally, also eulogized Sharon.

　　"Sharon, my good friend, was a brave soldier and a daring statesman who contributed a lot to the safety and fortification of Israel," Peres said in a statement.

　　However, Palestinian Hamas movement which controls the Gaza Strip, said Saturday that former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was "a distinguished⁵ war criminal."

　　"The Palestinian people remember Sharon as someone who caused destruction, ordeals⁶ and displacement⁷ to them," Salah al-Bardaweel, a Hamas official told Xinhua.

　　Sharon has been in a coma for the past eight years since he suffered a stroke in January 2006. He was then replaced by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert from his center-left Kadima party, which Sharon established after leaving the right-wing Likud party.

1 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

2 coma   

n.昏迷，昏迷状态

参考例句：

• The patient rallied from the coma.病人从昏迷中苏醒过来。
• She went into a coma after swallowing a whole bottle of sleeping pills.她吃了一整瓶安眠药后就昏迷过去了。

3 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

6 ordeals   

n.严峻的考验，苦难的经历( ordeal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• London had stood triumphant through all her ordeals. 伦敦在经历考验之后仍巍然屹立。 来自辞典例句
• He's come through some bad personal ordeals. 他个人经历了一些沉痛的考验。 来自辞典例句

7 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。