2006年VOA标准英语-Rice: Prospect of Hamas Role in Palestinia

By David Gollust
Washington
23 January 2006

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday the prospect¹ of a role in a Palestinian government for the militant² Islamic group Hamas poses a practical problem for the United States, which views Hamas as a terrorist organization. Analysts³ believe Hamas is poised⁴ for a strong showing in Wednesday's Palestinian election.

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Condoleezza Rice (file photo)
  

The secretary is not saying what the United States would do if victories in Wednesday's legislative⁵ elections propel Hamas into the Palestinian government.

But she did say the presence in a government of a group long classified by the United States as a terrorist organization, and one which does not recognize Israel's right to exist, would present what she termed a very practical problem for U.S. policy-makers.

Political analysts in the region expect a strong election showing for Hamas, based partly on divisions within the mainstream⁶ Palestinian political movement Fatah and a perception that the organization founded by Yasser Arafat is ridden with corruption⁷.

At a joint⁸ press appearance Monday with Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini, the secretary said the United States is not about to change its policy toward Hamas, which is blamed for scores of anti-Israeli terrorist attacks that have killed U.S. citizens as well.

She said that, in addition to the terrorism factor, the Palestinian Authority through its acceptance of the international Middle East peace road map is committed to a renunciation of violence and the dismantling⁹ of terrorist organizations, while Hamas is not.

"It probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: it's hard to have negotiations¹⁰ with a party that you do not recognize its right to exist," she said. "And so if we indeed do want a path to peace between Israel and the Palestinian people, it is going to have to be one in which Palestinians and any Palestinian government is committed to a peaceful path."

The United States has pressed Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas, without success thus far, to disarm¹¹ Hamas and other armed groups in line with his often-expressed slogan of one authority, one gun.

In a statement last month, the international Middle East quartet -- the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations -- said a future Palestinian cabinet should include no member who has not committed to Israel's right to exist and an unequivocal end to violence and terrorism.

State Department officials have signaled that the United States would have no dealings with Palestinian cabinet members from Hamas or other extremist factions¹².

A precedent¹³ for such a policy was set in Lebanon, where one member of the cabinet that took office last July is from the radical¹⁴ Shiite group Hezbollah, which is also listed by the United States as a terrorist organization.

The State Department said at the time Washington would have no dealings with the Hezbollah minister, but that it would continue working with the government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

1 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

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 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。

4 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

5 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

6 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。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 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。

9 dismantling   

（枪支）分解

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。
• The dismantling of a nuclear reprocessing plant caused a leak of radioactivity yesterday. 昨天拆除核后处理工厂引起了放射物泄漏。

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 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

12 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

13 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

14 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。