2007年VOA标准英语-EU Says No Fuel Supplies to Gaza Unless Hamas D

By Teri Schultz
Brussels
20 August 2007

The European Union says a Hamas plan to try to make money off EU fuel donations to the Gaza Strip means the suspension of fuel oil deliveries to the territory will continue. Teri Schultz reports from Brussels.

A Palestinian toddler holds up a lit candle in his house after the electricity was cut off in his area of Gaza City, 17 Aug 2007

Tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been without electricity for days and there is no word on when power might resume.

Gaza's main power plant is dependent on fuel provided by the European Union, which cut off deliveries last Thursday. Officials initially¹ blamed security problems for the cut off, but a European Commission spokeswoman explained Monday that the halt in deliveries is also because Hamas plans to begin taxing electricity.

Since Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the European Union, the EU will block it from capitalizing on humanitarian² aid provided for Gaza residents under what is called the "Temporary Implementation³ Mechanism⁴" or TIM. Such a tax, says Commission spokeswoman Antonia Mochan, would be unacceptable.

"This would not allow us to continue paying for fuel helping⁵ to produce the electricity," she said. "We are ready to resume payment of these fuel deliveries within hours once we have assurances these taxes will not be introduced. Obviously we need to ensure that our aid paid through the TIM fulfills⁶ its purposes which is the support to benefit the Gaza population."

Mochan explains that the EU pays about $9 million a month to supply fuel for the plant, an arrangement set up last year. The funds go to an Israeli supplier, which allows the EU to avoid any direct financial dealings with Hamas while providing the aid.

Hamas officials deny there are plans for an electricity tax but there have also been other problems with the delivery of the fuel.

Last Thursday Israel closed the border crossing used to transport the fuel due to security threats. Mochan says, that is also one of the factors under review as the Commission considers a resumption of the fuel aid.

"There were security concerns particularly related to the tense situation at the crossing points and we are assessing the situation to ensure that all the elements are in place to allow a high level of accountability before assuming delivery," she said.

Israel re-opened the border crossing on Sunday, but by that time the EU had decided⁷ to hold up the shipments over the tax issue. With no reserves of fuel, the plant has been shut down since Friday.

1 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

2 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。

3 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

4 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。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 fulfills   

v.履行（诺言等）( fulfill的第三人称单数 )；执行（命令等）；达到（目的）；使结束

参考例句：

• He always fulfills his promises. 他总是履行自己的诺言。 来自辞典例句
• His own work amply fulfills this robust claim. 他自己的作品在很大程度上实现了这一正确主张。 来自辞典例句

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。