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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Sonja Pace
Israeli troops are continuing their controversial military operation in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, despite both international condemnation1 and domestic criticism. The Gaza operation has prompted calls by some Israelis for an early withdrawal2 from Gaza and a resumption of peace talks.
Over the past week images of Israeli bulldozers demolishing3 Palestinian homes in the Rafah refugee camp flashed on Israeli television sets, and around the world.
The images resulted in widespread international criticism, even from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who said the United States opposed the demolitions5.
But there were more images to come on Wednesday, showing Palestinian demonstrators in Rafah scattering6 amid Israeli shelling, and Palestinians running through the streets carrying the wounded, including children, and rushing them into ambulances. At least eight Palestinians were killed and Israel later apologized for the civilian7 deaths.
But, Israeli officials remain adamant8 about the overall necessity of the Gaza operation, as Foreign Ministry9 spokesman Gideon Meir explained on Israeli television.
“What we are witnessing is terrorist organizations who are using the civilian population and their houses in order to produce explosives, and to use their houses for snipers, and to use their houses at the end of the tunnels where they're smuggling10 the weapons into the Gaza Strip,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has put forward a plan to unilaterally withdraw all Jewish settlements and the soldiers that protect them from the Gaza Strip. But Israel says the Palestinian Authority has allowed Gaza to become a haven11 for terrorists, and its current offensive appears aimed at ending that - a move that could be a precursor12 to a withdrawal.
Justice Minister Josef Lapid describes the Rafah operation as the razor's edge.
Mr. Lapid told Israeli radio the political plan to vacate Gaza is justified13. He said the war against terror is also justified. But, he added, what is not justified is firing by mistake into a demonstrating crowd and killing14 civilians15 like happened on Wednesday.
Mr. Lapid has been a staunch supporter of Mr. Sharon's plan to get out of Gaza.
Incidents last week seem to have increased public support for the plan, too, as well as providing Israel with a justification16 for its offensive. Clashes between the military and Palestinian militants17 in Gaza last week resulted in the deaths of 13 Israeli soldiers.
Those clashes prompted a huge pro-peace rally in Tel Aviv last Saturday, in which more than a 100,000 people gathered in support of Mr. Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan. Many demonstrators also called for the immediate18 resumption of peace negotiations19.
Justice Minister Lapid supports that idea.
注释:
outcry [5autkrai] n. 大声疾呼
Israeli [iz5reili] adj. 以色列共和国的
controversial [7kCntrE5vE:FEl] adj. 争论的,争议的
condemnation [7kCndem5neiFEn] n. 谴责,指责
withdrawal [wiT5drC:El] n. 撤退,退回
bulldozer [5buldEuzE] n. 推土机
demolish4 [di5mCliF] vt. 毁坏,推翻
ambulance [5AmbjulEns] n. 救护车
civilian [si5viljEn] adj. 民间的
death [deW] n. 屠杀
adamant [5AdEmEnt] adj. 强硬的
sniper [5snaipE] n. 狙击兵
tunnel [5tQnl] n. 隧道,地道
smuggle20 [5smQ^l] v. 走私
unilaterally [5ju:nilAtErEli] adv. 单方面地
precursor [pri(:)5kE:sE] n. 先驱
razor [5reizE] n. 剃刀
demonstrating [5demEnstreitiN] adj. 示威
staunch [stC:ntF] adj. 坚定的
1 condemnation | |
n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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2 withdrawal | |
n.取回,提款;撤退,撤军;收回,撤销 | |
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3 demolishing | |
v.摧毁( demolish的现在分词 );推翻;拆毁(尤指大建筑物);吃光 | |
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4 demolish | |
v.拆毁(建筑物等),推翻(计划、制度等) | |
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5 demolitions | |
n.毁坏,破坏,拆毁( demolition的名词复数 ) | |
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6 scattering | |
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散 | |
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7 civilian | |
adj.平民的,民用的,民众的 | |
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8 adamant | |
adj.坚硬的,固执的 | |
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9 ministry | |
n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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10 smuggling | |
n.走私 | |
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11 haven | |
n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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12 precursor | |
n.先驱者;前辈;前任;预兆;先兆 | |
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13 justified | |
a.正当的,有理的 | |
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14 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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15 civilians | |
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓 | |
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16 justification | |
n.正当的理由;辩解的理由 | |
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17 militants | |
激进分子,好斗分子( militant的名词复数 ) | |
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18 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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19 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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20 smuggle | |
vt.私运;vi.走私 | |
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