美国国家公共电台 NPR--Despite airstrikes and drive-by shooting, Israeli-Palestinian flare-up hasn't spiraled

Despite airstrikes and drive-by shooting, Israeli-Palestinian flare-up hasn't spiraled

Transcript¹

A shooting attack killed two Israeli women in the West Bank. But otherwise there seem to be efforts to limit an escalation².

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Some other news now. Israel's military carried out what it calls limited strikes on Palestinian targets - militant³ targets, Israel says - in southern Lebanon and in Gaza. These strikes come after rocket fire from both on Tuesday. Nobody was killed. And Israel is signaling that it would like to keep this situation from escalating⁴. Here's military spokesman Richard Hecht.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

RICHARD HECHT: Nobody wants an escalation right now. Quiet will be answered with quiet at this stage.

INSKEEP: Although, there's not a lot of quiet in the Middle East right now. Israeli officials say that somebody opened fire on an Israeli car and killed two people. Also, Israeli police have scuffled with Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque⁵ in Jerusalem in the old city, where worshippers are attending Friday Ramadan prayers. NPR's Daniel Estrin is nearby. Hey there, Daniel.

DANIEL ESTRIN, BYLINE⁶: Hi, Steve.

INSKEEP: What's it look like and feel like where you are?

ESTRIN: You know, Steve, it's surprising. We weren't expecting this. But it's incredibly peaceful, at least the way it feels where I am in the old city. I'm looking at the Mount of Olives. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is in front of me. I watched thousands of Muslims stream out of the old city after Ramadan prayers. Now you might be able to hear the call to prayer now. I mean, there were some minor⁷ scuffles this morning between police and Palestinians.

But there is this real effort to keep things quiet. And, you know, I've seen Palestinian women selling herbs and a salesman blowing bubbles and tourists from Spain walking with a big cross to mark Jesus' footsteps on Good Friday, which is today - and of course, Jews also celebrating Passover. All of this in this small area of the old city of Jerusalem. So you know, it's a reminder⁸ this is also a moment of joy for many families gathering⁹ for holy days, but also an uncertain time.

INSKEEP: Daniel, thank you for illustrating¹⁰ the value of sending a reporter to go look for himself or look for themselves. It's good that you're there and you're getting a perspective on this. So there were scuffles. But you're saying, more broadly, things are peaceful where you are. For most people, they're going about Friday prayers as they would want to do. There was, however, this shooting in the West Bank. So this is away from Jerusalem, away from where you are. There was this shooting. What happened?

ESTRIN: There was a drive-by shooting on an Israeli car, Steve. Two Israeli women in their 20s were killed. A third woman was wounded. This was in the occupied West Bank, so about a hour or two's drive from where I am. And there is a search for the shooter. But when I've been speaking to Israeli and Palestinian analysts¹¹, they are saying that Hamas in Gaza seems to be at the center of efforts, almost for a year now, to try to encourage a Palestinian uprising in these parts, in the West Bank and in Jerusalem. And Ramadan provides a perfect platform when you have all these heightened religious sentiments. And we're seeing some of that violence now.

INSKEEP: So we don't know exactly who targeted this car or why. But I think you're telling us that is the question. Is someone trying to provoke something larger where you are? That's the question, right?

ESTRIN: That's absolutely right. And, you know, it's just very unpredictable. We saw the strikes from Lebanon, rockets from Lebanon and Gaza yesterday. Israel responded. Now it seems like Israel's limited response was kind of designed to allow all the actors in this region - Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas, even maybe Iran - to kind of step back from the brink¹². We're going to have to see. It's a very sensitive moment.

INSKEEP: NPR's Daniel Estrin is in Jerusalem. Thanks for your clear-eyed reporting, really appreciate it.

ESTRIN: Sure thing.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

5 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

8 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

9 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

10 illustrating   

给…加插图( illustrate的现在分词 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• He upstaged the other speakers by illustrating his talk with slides. 他演讲中配上幻灯片，比其他演讲人更吸引听众。
• Material illustrating detailed structure of graptolites has been etched from limestone by means of hydrofluoric acid. 表明笔石详细构造的物质是利用氢氟酸从石灰岩中侵蚀出来。

11 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

12 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。