2007年VOA标准英语-Israel's Former Justice Minister Convicted of S

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
31 January 2007

Israel's former Justice Minister has been convicted of indecent acts for kissing a young female soldier against her will.  VOA's Jim Teeple reports from Jerusalem, it is the second case to involve a high public official in sexual misconduct charges and the case is likely to result in a major cabinet shake-up. 

 
Haim Ramon and his girlfriend Vered, left, leave the court room, in Tel Aviv's Magistrates¹ Court
Haim Ramon, Israel's former justice minister, was found guilty by a three-judge panel of indecent acts.  He was convicted of forcibly kissing a young female soldier just after the two posed for a picture in the offices of the defense² ministry³ last July 12, the day that Israel's war with Hezbollah militants⁴ in Lebanon began. 

Ramon, a member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Kadima Party, resigned shortly after the incident.  He repeatedly claimed the kiss was consensual and following the verdict he said he will appeal. 

If his appeal fails, Ramon could face up to three years in prison.  The case is expected to result in a major re-organization of Mr. Olmert's cabinet.  The prime minister's spokeswoman, Miri Eisin, says now that Ramon will not be re-joining the government there will be a cabinet change.

"The prime minister stated before Ramon was put on trial that he would keep one of the ministerial portfolios⁵ open for him," she said.  "He [Ramon] was the Justice Minister.  The prime minister also stated that as soon as this trial was over, as it is today, that he would not re-shuffle, but that he would put permanent ministers in all of the portfolios."

 
Ehud Olmert (File photo)
Israel's government has been under fire recently for its policies during last summer's war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.  Mr. Olmert himself is being investigated for his role in the privatization of one of Israel's largest banks when he was finance minister in 2005. 

Last week, Israelis watched as their country's president, Moshe Katsav, Israel's ceremonial head of state, emotionally proclaimed his innocence⁶ of rape⁷ and abuse of power charges in a nationally televised address to the nation.  Israel's attorney general says he has the evidence to bring charges against Mr. Katsav, and it was reported Mr. Katsav has vacated the official residence of Israel's president after being given a parliamentary leave of absence.

1 magistrates   

地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to come up before the magistrates 在地方法院出庭
• He was summoned to appear before the magistrates. 他被传唤在地方法院出庭。

2 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。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

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 portfolios   

n.投资组合( portfolio的名词复数 )；（保险）业务量；（公司或机构提供的）系列产品；纸夹

参考例句：

• Price risk arises in non-trading portfolios, as well as in trading portfolios. 价格风险中出现的非贸易投资，以及在贸易投资组合。 来自互联网
• How do we fatten our portfolios and stay financially healthy? 我们怎样育肥我们的投资结构和维持财政健康呢？ 来自互联网

6 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

7 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。