VOA常速英语2008年-World Bank Says Israeli Restrictions Stifle Pal

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
27 April 2008

The World Bank is accusing Israel of stifling¹ the Palestinian economy. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, Palestinian economic development has clashed with Israeli security considerations.

A report by the World Bank says the Palestinian economy will not grow this year, despite billions of dollars in international aid. The bank blamed the problem on Israeli restrictions² on Palestinian movement and trade.

The report said the economy in the Gaza Strip contracted last year because of a crippling Israeli blockade and there was only modest growth in the West Bank because of a network of Israeli roadblocks.

"If you will give a Palestinian even $1 billion, without being able to move to sell his merchandise, to bring in some merchandise, all of this cash will go for nothing," said Palestinian analyst³ Wadia Abu Nasser.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been pushing Israel to ease restrictions to boost the Palestinian economy and in turn, increase support for the peace process. While Israel has removed one major checkpoint and about 50 dirt roadblocks, it has left most of the restrictions in place.

Israeli spokesman Mark Regev says Israel understands the importance of freedom of movement.

"We want to move and when our Palestinian partner is ready to take security responsibility, we will be ready to move, taking down roadblocks and so forth," said Regev. 

At the same time, Regev warned that Palestinian militants⁴ could exploit the removal of roadblocks to carry out suicide bombings, and that would harm the peace process.

"An irresponsible Israeli movement on this issue would just destroy the process because the vacuum created and exploited by the extremists could well kill the positive momentum⁵ we now have, so it is very important that on this issue we move cautiously," he added.

In December, international donors⁶ pledged more than $7 billion to beef up the Palestinian Authority and economy. The aim was to gradually cut government spending and revive the private sector⁷, eventually making the Palestinians less dependent on foreign aid. But the World Bank warns that unless Israel changes its policies, this goal cannot be achieved.

1 stifling   

a.令人窒息的

参考例句：

• The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热，光景是要下雨。
• We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里，简直透不过气来。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 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。

4 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。

5 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

6 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。