2007年VOA标准英语-Palestinian President Warns of Civil War

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
05 June 2007

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, smiles while heading up a meeting with PLO executive committee in Ramallah, 04 Jun 2007

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is warning that factional infighting has put Palestinians on the verge¹ of civil war. VOA's Jim Teeple reports from Jerusalem, the comments were made as the Palestinian factions² Hamas and Fatah fought a three-hour gunbattle near the main commercial crossing point between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

In a somber³ speech to mark the occasion of the beginning of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestinian infighting was as dangerous to Palestinians as being occupied by Israel.

Mr. Abbas told Palestinians they had to stop fighting each other in order to re-establish a cease-fire with Israel. He also said the infighting was putting future talks with Israel in jeopardy⁴.

The Palestinian president is scheduled to meet with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert later this week. In his speech, Mr. Abbas said he will try to start discussions about a final peace deal with Israel with Mr. Olmert.

Israeli officials say they will try to confine the talks to humanitarian⁵ issues, and will not discuss substantive⁶ issues because the current unity⁷ Palestinian government is dominated by Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel.

Hamas rejects peace talks with Israel and the idea of a two-state solution in the Middle East. Speaking to mark the occasion of the beginning of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, when Israeli forces conquered East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, a leading Hamas militant⁸ condemned⁹ Israel.

Haniyeh says all the obstacles Israel has put in front of Palestinians have made it impossible to build a Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 War borders.

In the West Bank city of Hebron, about 200 Israeli protesters staged a demonstration¹⁰ against their country's occupation of the West Bank. The city is a frequent flashpoint for violence. About 500 Jewish settlers live in heavily fortified¹¹ compounds in the center of Hebron surrounded by about 160,000 Palestinians.

1 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

2 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

3 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

4 jeopardy   

n.危险；危难

参考例句：

• His foolish behaviour may put his whole future in jeopardy.他愚蠢的行为可能毁了他一生的前程。
• It is precisely at this juncture that the boss finds himself in double jeopardy.恰恰在这个关键时刻，上司发现自己处于进退两难的境地。

5 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

6 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

7 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

8 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。

9 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。

10 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

11 fortified   

adj. 加强的

参考例句：

• He fortified himself against the cold with a hot drink. 他喝了一杯热饮御寒。
• The enemy drew back into a few fortified points. 敌人收缩到几个据点里。