2006年VOA标准英语-Palestinian Captors Holding Israeli Soldier Iss

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
03 July 2006

Israeli military armored vehicles prepare to advance towards the Gaza Strip from a gathering¹ point just outside the Gaza Strip early Monday, July 3, 2006   
  
Soldier's captors have give Israel until Tuesday morning to begin releasing hundreds of Palestinian women and children from its prisons. Israel has rejected it, and is warning of severe consequences that could plunge² the entire region into conflict.

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Palestinian militants⁴ holding the kidnapped Israeli soldier have given Israel until Tuesday morning to begin releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners or pay the consequences. They did not specify⁵ what those would be, but Israel fears the 19-year-old Corporal, Gilad Shalit, could be tortured, or killed.

Nevertheless, Israel said it would not cave in to what it called the "blackmail⁶ of a terrorist government," led by the Islamic militant³ group Hamas.

"The Israeli position is clear. We believe that Gilad Shalit should be released immediately and unconditionally⁷. Such a release, of course, would de-escalate the crisis," said Israeli spokesman Mark Regev.

Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad expressed sympathy for the kidnappers⁸' demands.

Hamad told Israel Radio that the reason for the ultimatum⁹ is repeated Israeli air strikes on Gaza since the soldier was kidnapped just over a week ago. In the hours before the ultimatum, Israeli aircraft and artillery¹⁰ pounded militant targets across Gaza. Israel is threatening to launch a major ground assault, if the soldier is not released.

The dispute has the potential to spill over into a regional conflict. Israeli Defense¹¹ Minister Amir Peretz threatened to strike at Syria.

Peretz said Syria is harboring Hamas leaders in exile, who ordered the kidnap of the soldier, and who have rejected international efforts to release him. Israel sent Syria a strong message last week, when fighter jets buzzed the palace of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

3 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。

4 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。

5 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

6 blackmail   

n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓

参考例句：

• She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。
• The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。

7 unconditionally   

adv.无条件地

参考例句：

• All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
• It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工，真糟糕！ 来自子夜部分

8 kidnappers   

n.拐子，绑匪( kidnapper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were freed yesterday by their kidnappers unharmed. 他们昨天被绑架者释放了，没有受到伤害。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙，他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 ultimatum   

n.最后通牒

参考例句：

• This time the proposal was couched as an ultimatum.这一次该提议是以最后通牒的形式提出来的。
• The cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.内阁今天开会商量如何应对这道最后通牒。

10 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

11 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。