VOA标准英语10月-Israeli Police Deploy in Coastal Town After Jewis

Israeli police are on high alert after a mixed Jewish-Arab town is hit by ethnic¹ violence. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.
　

An Israeli man examines his shattered car windshield following clashes between Israeli Arab and Jewish residents of the mixed city of Acre, northern Israel, 10 Oct 2008

About 700 Israeli police have deployed³ in the historic Mediterranean⁴ coastal⁵ town of Acre, after clashes between Jews and Arabs damaged dozens of cars and shops. The violence erupted on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

Residents and police say an Arab drove his car through a Jewish neighborhood playing loud music, infuriating Jews observing the solemn Yom Kippur fast. It is customary not to drive in Israel on Yom Kippur. Jews threw stones at the car and beat the man, and as word spread about the incident, angry Arabs took to the streets.

Since it was a high holy day, police were understaffed and it took a long time to deploy² reinforcements. Police finally restored order using tear gas and water cannons⁶.

Tensions remain high and spilled over to the city council which met to discuss the riots.

Jewish and Arab council members blamed each other for the violence.

The finger pointing continued when several right-wing Jewish parliamentarians arrived in Acre, including Zvi Hendel. He said it is unacceptable that in the Jewish state on Yom Kippur, hundreds of Arabs would riot and chant "Kill the Jews!" He said that is a provocation⁷ the State of Israel cannot tolerate.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter urged right-wing legislators to tone down the rhetoric⁸, saying their comments could "incite⁹" more violence.

Dichter said the police are out in force to keep the peace in Acre and to prevent the violence from spreading to other Israeli Arab towns.

Jews and Arabs generally live together in peace in Acre, but ethnic tensions are always simmering under the surface. They boiled over on Yom Kippur, and now authorities are trying to keep the lid on a tense situation.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

3 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

4 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

5 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

6 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

8 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

9 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。