VOA标准英语2009年-UN Calls for Accountability of Death and Destru

The U.N. Relief and Works Agency says a process of accountability must take place to achieve justice for all the death and destruction that occurred as a consequence of the Israeli military incursion into Gaza. UNRWA says the process must be credible¹ and must address the legitimate² allegations of both the Israelis and Palestinians.
　
A Palestinian youth boils tea on a fire in the rubble³ of his family home in Jebaliya, northern Gaza, 22 Jan 2009

UNRWA director of operations in Gaza, John Ging, says the devastation⁴ inflicted⁵ upon the Gaza Strip and the hardship endured by the population after 18 months of blockade is overwhelming.

In a briefing to journalists in Geneva from Gaza, Ging says the United Nations is focused on helping⁶ the people cope with their grief and their loss.

"They are still quite shell-shocked, but there is more and more anger growing. That is why we have been, all of us on the international side, been urgently focusing attention on the necessity for accountability, an incredible mechanism⁷ for accountability because we need to channel this emotion to confidence in the rule of law," Ging said.
　
Palestinians rebuild a tunnel that links the Gaza Strip to Egypt in Rafah, which was destroyed during Israel’s military offensive, 21 Jan 2009

Ging says there are more extremists now, at the end of the conflict, than there were at the start. He says the Palestinians do not believe they will get justice, they do not believe the rule of law applies to them. He says the international community must prove them wrong.

He says the United Nations wants justice for the Palestinians and justice for the Israelis, who also have suffered. That, he says, is why it is important to have an independent, objective, and credible investigation⁸.

Ging says the ordinary people of Gaza are paying the price of the 18-month siege. He says there is no prospect⁹ of recovery unless all crossing points from Israel are opened.

"The ordinary people here in Gaza need to be restored to a dignified¹⁰ existence and that cannot occur unless the crossing points are open, every single one of them for the free movement of goods. Not just a trickle¹¹ of food and medicine and so-called humanitarian¹² assistance, but a full restoration to a normal life here in terms of commercial trade and all the supplies that are needed for one-and-one half million people. And, also to restore the freedom of movement, so that they can come and go from the Gaza Strip as they need to do," he said.
　
President Barack Obama looks on as Middle East envoy¹³ George Mitchell speaks at the State Department in Washington, 22 Jan. 2009

On a related issue, Ging says as an Irishman, he is delighted at the appointment by the Obama administration of former senator George Mitchell as Middle East envoy. He says Mitchell contributed a lot to bringing peace to his country.

And, this, he says, not only gives him hope, but also a cause for optimism that real progress will be made toward peace.

1 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

2 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

3 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

4 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

6 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。

7 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。

8 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

9 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

10 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

11 trickle   

vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散

参考例句：

• The stream has thinned down to a mere trickle.这条小河变成细流了。
• The flood of cars has now slowed to a trickle.汹涌的车流现在已经变得稀稀拉拉。

12 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。

13 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。