2006年VOA标准英语- Wednesday's Palestinian Elections Too Clo

By Jim Teeple
Ramallah
23 January 2006

Politicians in the Palestinian territories wrapped up final day of campaigning Monday, ahead of crucial vote Wednesday to elect new legislature  
  
Politicians in the Palestinian territories wrapped up a final day of campaigning Monday, ahead of a crucial vote Wednesday, when Palestinians will go to the polls to elect a new legislature. Wednesday's vote has developed into a contest between the mainstream¹ Fatah Party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and the Islamic militant² group, Hamas.

Downtown Ramallah was a sea of campaign posters and a chorus of sound trucks as Palestinians were bombarded with last minute appeals for their vote on Wednesday. Voters will go to the polls to choose 132 legislators from more than 400 candidates running in a hotly contested campaign.

Last year, Palestinians went to the polls and elected Mahmoud Abbas as president, but now one year later, Mr. Abbas' Fatah Party is struggling to maintain its grip on power.

Polls show Fatah is in a statistical³ dead heat with Hamas, the avowedly⁴ Islamist militant party sworn to Israel's destruction. Even in Ramallah, a stronghold of Fatah support, voters like this man who gave his name as Maher, said he would vote for Fatah on a national list of candidates, but for Hamas in local district elections, which will also be decided⁵ on Wednesday.

"I hope Fatah will win because of Fatah's experience in leading Palestine. We are talking of years of leading Palestine," said the man. "I also would like Hamas to win some chairs in elections, but we hope Fatah will win in the large chairs in the elections."

Just down Ramallah's main street, this man who asked not to be identified said he would vote for Hamas because of the organization's uncompromising stand toward Israel.

The voter says he does not believe Israel's threats not to negotiate with Palestinians if Hamas wins the elections. He says Hamas is the only party he trusts when it comes to dealing⁶ with Israel, because he says Hamas is the only party that will not give up any further Palestinian territory to Israel.

Hamas is categorized as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union. The U.S. Congress has threatened to cut all funding to the Palestinian Authority if Hamas joins any future government. Israel says it will not negotiate with any Palestinian government that includes Hamas, although former Prime Minister Shimon Peres now a member of the centrist Kadima party, has said Israel would reconsider its position, if Hamas renounces⁷ violence and disarms⁸ after the election. 

 
Mahmud al-Zahar 
  
In a hint that Hamas might be amenable⁹ to negotiations¹⁰ with Israel, Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip said Monday that Hamas might consider third party talks with Israel, if Israel releases Hamas prisoners and halts attacks against Hamas militants¹¹.

Meanwhile more than 900 foreign observers have fanned out across the West Bank and Gaza Strip to monitor Wednesday's polling and post-elections developments. Former President Jimmy Carter leads a joint¹² delegation¹³ from the Carter Center and the National Democratic Institute. Leslie Campbell, NDI's Mideast regional director says two issues seem to be dominating the run-up to the vote.

"I would say from a technical vantage point it has to be freedom of movement and whether or not the voters, candidates and others are free to do what they need to do," he said. "From an elections issue vantage point the larger issue is probably the participation¹⁴ of Hamas in the sense that it leads to very hot competition. It has caused a lot of international consternation¹⁵. So, therefore, there is so much at stake that it has raised the temperature of the election."

Among those voting on Wednesday will be Arab residents of East Jerusalem. A number of East Jerusalem residents will be allowed to cast ballots¹⁶ in Israeli post offices in East Jerusalem, while others will be allowed to travel to the West Bank to vote. Israel says it will pull back some troops and ease restrictions¹⁷ at West Bank checkpoints in order to allow Palestinians access to the polls.

1 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

2 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。

3 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

4 avowedly   

adv.公然地

参考例句：

• He was avowedly in the wrong. 他自认错了。 来自辞典例句
• Their policy has been avowedly marxist. 他们的政策被公开地宣称为马克思主义政策。 来自互联网

5 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。

6 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

7 renounces   

v.声明放弃( renounce的第三人称单数 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores. 日本放弃对福尔摩沙（台湾）及澎湖的一切权利，主张（名称）及所有权。 来自互联网
• He renounces Christianity, temporarily straining his relationship with his parents. 他放弃了基督教信仰，从而与父母的关系暂时变得紧张。 来自互联网

8 disarms   

v.裁军( disarm的第三人称单数 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• He was that rarest of statesmen, one whose integrity disarms even his critics. 他为人正直，连批评他的人也佩服他三分，在当代政治家中实属罕见。 来自辞典例句
• Disarm: This ability now disarms ranged weapons as well. 缴械：这个技能现在同时可以缴械对方的远程武器。 来自互联网

9 amenable   

adj.经得起检验的；顺从的；对负有义务的

参考例句：

• His scientific discoveries are amenable to the laws of physics.他在科学上的发现经得起物理定律的检验。
• He is amenable to counsel.他这人听劝。

10 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

11 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

12 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

13 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

14 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

15 consternation   

n.大为吃惊，惊骇

参考例句：

• He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害，感到非常震惊。
• Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。

16 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制