2006年VOA标准英语-Lebanon, Israel Trade Accusations Following Mil

By Peter Heinlein
United Nations
14 July 2006

Lebanon has accused Israel of 'barbaric aggression¹' in its current military offensive, and called on the U.N. Security Council to declare a cease-fire., Israel rejected the criticism, and charged Lebanon with harboring terrorists.

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Lebanon asked for Friday's emergency Security Council meeting, as Israeli warplanes staged a third day of bombing raids on suspected terrorist bases in Lebanese territory.

Lebanese Special Envoy² Nouhad Mahmoud, listens as Israel Ambassador to U.N. Dan Gillerman, addresses Security Council meeting    
  
In an address to the Council, Lebanese special envoy Nouhad Mahmoud accused Israeli forces of aggression, including deliberate attacks on civilians³.

"The Security Council meets today in the shadow of a widespread barbaric aggression, waged by Israel to this very moment against my nation," he said, " Lebanon, destroying Lebanon's infrastructure⁴ and causing the death of innocent civilians. What Israel is undertaking⁵ is an act of aggression and devastation⁶, aimed at bringing Lebanon to its knees and subverting⁷ it by any means."

The Lebanese official urged the Security Council to act immediately to stop the offensive.

"The international community is called upon, as represented by the Security Council, to take an immediate⁸, clear decision, calling for comprehensive immediate cease-fire, and lifting of the air and sea blockade imposed upon Lebanon, and calling for an end of Israeli aggression," he said.

Israel's U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman, vigorously rejected the Lebanese charges. He said Lebanon bears responsibility for allowing the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia⁹ to use Lebanese territory as a base for attacks on Israel.

"Many of the long-range missiles that have hit Israeli towns…were launched from private homes, with families residing inside," he noted¹⁰, " where a special room was designated as a launching pad, with a family playing host to the missile. This is yet another example of the cynical¹¹ and brutal¹² way the Hezbollah organization uses civilians as human shields, with complete disregard for human life."

John Bolton (file photo)   
  
A day after the United States vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have condemned¹³ Israeli actions in Gaza, U.S. representative John Bolton placed the blame for escalating¹⁴ tensions squarely on Syria and Iran.

"Iran's extensive sponsorship and financial and other support of Hezbollah is well known, and has been ongoing¹⁵ for decades… We call on Syria and Iran to cease their sponsorship and support of terrorist groups, in particular Hezbollah and Hamas," he said.

The Security Council issued a brief statement after Friday's meeting, looking forward to a report from a high-level diplomatic mission sent to the region by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The mission includes three of Mr. Annan's most senior political advisers¹⁶. Council diplomats¹⁷ say no other immediate action is planned.

1 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

6 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 subverting   

v.颠覆，破坏（政治制度、宗教信仰等）( subvert的现在分词 )；使（某人）道德败坏或不忠

参考例句：

• This viewpoint sees the Multinational Corporation as capable of circumventing or subverting national objectives and policies. 这种观点认为，跨国公司能够遏制和破坏国家的目标和政策。 来自辞典例句
• By simply subverting an expectation, a novelist can undermine a prejudice. 藉由完全推翻期待，一个小说家可以逐渐破坏一种歧视。 来自互联网

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

12 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

13 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

14 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

15 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

16 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

17 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》