巴以冲突继续

AS IT IS 2015-10-07 Israel-Palestine Tension Continues to Climb 巴以冲突继续

Israeli forces destroyed the homes of two Palestinians on Tuesday.

The teardowns added tension to a dangerous climate  between Palestinians and Israelis.

One of the homes belonged to the family of a man who killed five men and a police officer in an attack on a synagogue in November 2014. The other belonged to a man who killed a person with a tractor in August 2014.

Israeli forces also closed part of a house linked to a Palestinian who shot a Jewish activist¹ on October 29.

Violence between Israeli forces and Palestinians has grown in the past weeks. Palestinians disagree with Israeli expansion into Palestinian areas, including settlements on the rural and suburban² West Bank.

In urban East Jerusalem, tensions have increased at the al-Aqsa mosque³, which Muslims consider the third-holiest site in their religion. It was built in the late 600s. Jews call the site Temple Mount, because a Jewish temple stood there until around the year 70.

In the past week, two Palestinian teenagers who were throwing stones were shot and killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank.

A Palestinian stabbed a father to death and wounded the man’s wife and child in an attack in the Old City area of Jerusalem.

On Sunday, Israeli police shot and killed a Palestinian who stabbed and wounded an Israeli teen near the Old City. Israeli police arrested five Palestinians whom they say shot and killed two Israelis the week earlier.

Tension has been building for some time as Israel has grown settlements in Palestinian areas of the city and the countryside.  The settlements are housing developments that offer less costly⁴ land and homes to Israelis. Settlements are also part of an expansion of Israeli and Jewish authority. The land and buildings for settlements is often seized from Palestinians.

In July, settlers firebombed a Palestinian home, killing⁵ an 18-month-old baby. In Jerusalem, religious Israelis forced their way into the Al-Aqsa mosque, or Dome⁶ of the Rock, to pray. It is Islam’s third-holiest place. Palestinians pushed back, and violence began.

The Israeli military said hundreds of Palestinians threw firebombs and rocks at soldiers, and burned tires. The soldiers fired at the rioters. The Palestinian Red Crescent group reported that 456 Palestinians were hurt in two days of clashes.

Israeli police have temporarily barred Palestinians from the Old City. And it says men 50 years old and younger will not be permitted to enter the Al-Aqsa mosque.

Peace has been difficult to achieve because of strong statements from the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Violence on both sides and continued building of settlements in the West Bank are also factors.

Late Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to speed up the destruction of terrorists’ homes. He also promised to jail suspected terrorists before they are tried.

He spoke⁷ before the beginning of an emergency Security Cabinet meeting. He said there are no limits on Israel’s security forces as they react to an increase in Palestinian violence. He said Israel is letting its forces, in his words, “take strong action against those who throw rocks and firebombs. We are not prepared to give immunity⁸ to anybody -- not to any rioter or any terrorist anywhere.” He said Israel is in a war “to the death” against terrorism.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also met with his security officials on Monday. He urged them to stop the violence from increasing and to not give the Israeli government reasons to attack Palestinians.

Words in This Story

site – n. the place where something (such as a building) is, was or will be located

immunity – n. special protection from what is required for most people by law; usually “+ from”

synagogue ?-- n. a place or building used for Jewish religious services

mosque – n. a place or building used for Muslim religious services

holy – adj. connected to a god or a religion

authority – n. the power or right to direct or control someone or something

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

3 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。

4 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

6 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。