VOA标准英语2010年-Israel Warns Aid Ship Not to Sail to G

（单词翻译）

Workers load supplies on to a cargo¹ ship at the Lavrio port, about 60 kilometers (37miles) southeast of Athens, Greece, 09 Jul 2010

There is drama on the high seas, as a humanitarian² aid ship sails toward the Palestinian-ruled Gaza Strip.

The Israeli navy contacted a Libyan aid ship that plans to defy the blockade on Gaza and demanded that it sail to the nearby Egyptian port of El Arish.  But the ship refused to change course, and naval³ commandos are prepared to intercept⁴ it.

Defense⁵ Minister Ehud Barak says the ship is an unnecessary provocation⁶. "We cannot accept someone who will try to just sail directly to Gaza," he said. "I should tell everyone that we think it is a bit irresponsible to do that."

The ship, which was hired by a Libyan charity, is carrying 2,000 tons of food and medical supplies for the Palestinians.  It sailed from Greece six weeks after Israeli commandos intercepted⁷ an aid flotilla trying to break the Gaza blockade.  In the earlier incident, nine pro-Palestinian activists⁸ were killed, sparking international outrage⁹.

Israel has since eased the land blockade on Gaza, and therefore, it says any aid to the Palestinians can be delivered legally through border crossings.  The naval blockade remains¹⁰ in force to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas, the Palestinian militant¹¹ group that rules the Gaza Strip.