2006年VOA标准英语-Israel's Olmert Rules Out Prisoner Swap With Ha

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
10 July 2006

Ehud Olmert, July 10, 2006   
  
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has ruled out any possibility of a prisoner swap¹, or negotiations² with the Hamas-led Palestinian government, to gain the release of an Israeli soldier held by Palestinian militants⁴.  Mr. Olmert also says the latest crisis in the Gaza Strip will not affect his plans to withdraw from large parts of the West Bank.

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Speaking to foreign journalists in Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert rejected any criticism of Israel's military incursion into the Gaza Strip, saying the operation to free Israeli Army Corporal Gilad Shalit and stop Palestinian militants from firing Qassam rockets into Israel will continue as long as necessary.

"I will stop when I feel that I can provide security for the people of Israel," he said. "I will not stop until then. I will continue to take every possible legitimate⁵ measure of self-defense that will help provide better security for the people of Israel. The timing⁶ will be determined⁷ by the aggressors. The timing will be defined by those who initiated⁸ the terrorist actions against Israel. It is entirely⁹ up to them, if they stop it [attacks] we will stop it."

Mr. Olmert also ruled out any prisoner exchange with Hamas, or negotiations with the Islamic militant³ group to win the release of the Israeli serviceman.

Israeli troops entered the Gaza Strip two weeks ago, after Palestinian militants captured Corporal Shalit in a raid on an Israeli border post on the Gaza Strip. After heavy fighting, Israeli forces withdrew from the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, but Israeli troops still occupy positions in the southern Gaza Strip and east of Gaza City.

At least 50 Palestinians and one Israeli have died in the fighting.

Both the European Union and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan have criticized Israel for using what they describe as a disproportionate use of force in the operation. Mr. Olmert has rejected the criticism, saying Israel has no other way to stop what he describes as the fear, the shocks and the lack of security for Israelis.

Israel's prime minister also says the Gaza operation will not derail his plans to withdraw from much of the West Bank during his term in office.

"I have not changed my basic commitment to the realignment plan," added Mr. Olmert. "I know this will be difficult, and it is difficult, but I am prepared to oppose those who are threatening the peaceful future of the Middle East. And, I am absolutely determined to carry on, in order to ultimately separate from the Palestinians and establish secure borders that will be recognized by the international community, while at the same time allow the Palestinians to have a contiguous territory, where they can have their own independent Palestinian state."

Mr. Olmert says Israel is not interested in toppling the Hamas-led Palestinian government, saying Israel's only interest is in freeing its serviceman and stopping terrorist attacks.

Speaking in Damascus on Monday, Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal said Israel must free Palestinian prisoners, if it wants to gain the release of Corporal Shalit. The Hamas leader also says Hamas will not be defeated by the Israeli military.

Meshal says Israelis are dreaming, if they think they can defeat Hamas and that the militant group will continue its attacks against Israel

In his remarks, Meshal accused Israel and the United States of practicing terrorism against the Palestinian people.

Israel, the State Department and the European Union consider Hamas a terrorist organization for carrying out numerous attacks against Israel. Most international donor¹⁰ aid to the Palestinian government has been suspended, until Hamas agrees to recognize Israel, disarm¹¹ and honor existing agreements between Palestinians and Israel, something Hamas leaders say they will not do.

1 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

2 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。

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 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

9 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

10 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

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。