2007年VOA标准英语-Israel Rules Out Major Offensive in Gaza Despit

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
05 September 2007

Israel is backing away from a broad military response to Palestinian rocket attacks that have terrified a border town. But as Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, it is considering tougher sanctions on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Ehud Olmert (File)

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert convened¹ his security Cabinet after Palestinian rocket attacks disrupted the beginning of the school year in the southern town of Sderot near the Gaza border. But despite calls by Sderot residents for a major army offensive against militants³ in Gaza, the Cabinet ruled that out.

Israeli military analyst⁴ Hirsch Goodman says that is a wise decision, considering the likelihood of high casualties among soldiers and civilians⁵.

"The cost would be very, very high in relation to what you're going to achieve, you wouldn't be able to stay there very, very long, and I think that a large invasion would just take a heavy toll⁶ and would be a mistake," he said.

The Cabinet did, however, approve limited military action against Palestinian militants involved in rocket attacks.

"I think what will continue are more surgical⁷ strikes. What you've got to do is you've got to make it painful for them," said Goodman.

Israel is also considering cutting off electricity and fuel supplies to Gaza if the rocket attacks continue.

Israeli soldiers returning from an operation inside the Gaza Strip where they reportedly captured four rocket launchers, 5 Sep 2007

But Haled Abu Hilal, an independent Palestinian politician in Gaza, says that will only lead to more violence.

He told Israel Radio the reason for the rocket fire is that Israel has closed its borders with Gaza and the people are desperate.

Israel has imposed trade sanctions on Gaza since the Islamic militant² group Hamas seized power from the more moderate Fatah faction⁸ in a civil war two months ago. Abu Hilal said that as long as Gaza faces growing shortages in food and supplies and increasing unemployment, the rockets will keep falling.

1 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

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 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。

4 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

5 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。

6 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

7 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

8 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。