2007年VOA标准英语-Israel to Release Frozen Tax Funds to Palestini

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
24 June 2007

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert, right, and FM Tzipi Livni, attend the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, 24 Jun 2007

Israel plans to release a large sum of money in a bid to boost beleaguered¹ Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is locked in a power struggle with the rival Islamic militant² group Hamas. Robert Berger reports for VOA from Jerusalem.

Israel's Cabinet approved the release of frozen tax funds to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads a moderate, western-backed government in the West Bank. The aim is to strengthen Mr. Abbas and to isolate³ Hamas after its violent takeover of the Gaza Strip.

Israel has withheld⁴ about $600 million in tax revenues since Hamas took power in March of last year. Officials say Israel plans to release about $350 million in stages, once a mechanism⁵ is in place to insure that the money will not reach the Hamas-led regime in Gaza.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Cabinet that Israel wants to cooperate with President Abbas because he is committed to a peaceful resolution of the Middle East conflict. By contrast, Hamas seeks the destruction of the Jewish state.

Mr. Olmert will present the aid package at a summit meeting with Mr. Abbas in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will host the meeting and Jordan's King Abdullah will also attend.

Mr. Olmert said that at the summit, Israel would present its demands regarding security and the war on terror. He did not elaborate, but in the past Israel has demanded that Mr. Abbas disarm⁶ terrorist groups as called for in the internationally-backed "Roadmap" peace plan.

Hamas reacted angrily, saying Israel is effectively paying Mr. Abbas to crush the Islamic resistance. But Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said they will not succeed.

Hamas represents a large portion of the Palestinian people and isolating⁷ or weakening the group is impossible, he said.

Aides to President Abbas complained that Israel is only releasing part of the withheld tax revenues. They said it is Palestinian money, and all of it should be released.

1 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

4 withheld   

withhold过去式及过去分词

参考例句：

• I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

6 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。

7 isolating   

adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• Colour filters are not very effective in isolating narrow spectral bands. 一些滤色片不能很有效地分离狭窄的光谱带。 来自辞典例句
• This became known as the streak method for isolating bacteria. 这个方法以后就称为分离细菌的划线法。 来自辞典例句