VOA标准英语2009年-Israel Poised to Elect Hardline Leadership

Next Tuesday, Israel will hold national elections for the fifth time in a decade. With the looming¹ threat of Iran's nuclear ambitions, continuing tensions over Hamas militants² in the Gaza Strip and stalled peace negotiations³ with the Palestinians, many Israelis are approaching the polls with security as their top concern. The issue of Israel's assault on militants in Gaza is very much on the minds of voters.

For Miriam, a shopper at West Jerusalem's bustling⁴ Mahane Yehuda market, the choice next Tuesday is simple. She wants a change. She has strong words for current Israeli leaders who she says did not go far enough in their assault on Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip and she says her vote will go to the hardliners on Tuesday.

She says the current leaders are "stupid" for not finishing the job. She says they should have continued with the war until they "finished off" the militants.

Her sentiments reflect the frustration⁵ that many Israelis have over what they see as their leadership's failure to secure peace.
　
Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, 05 Feb 2009

The ruling centrist Kadima Party headed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni gained popularity in the polls during the assault. But weeks after the cease-fire, rockets from Gaza have continued to hit southern Israel and public opinion polls show support building again for tough-talking former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is campaigning on the slogan "Strong on Security, Strong on the Economy".

Mr. Netanyahu says the only way to stop the rockets is by toppling the Iranian-backed Hamas leadership in Gaza. He has pledged to continue peace negotiations with the Palestinians, but says he will focus more on developing the Palestinian economy rather than on giving territorial⁶ concessions⁷.
　
Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Herzliya Conference in Herzliya, 04 Feb 2009

"The Likud government under my leadership will continue the peace talks, stressing security and economic development," he said. "And I believe that we have a good chance of winning. And I think that when we do, this will enable us to move peace closer and move terror further away."

Mr. Netanyahu has vowed⁸ to preserve Jewish settlements in the West Bank - something that puts him at odds⁹ with some in the international community who have condemned¹⁰ the settlements as an obstacle to peace.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has been Israel's top negotiator in the latest round of talks with the government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. She is seen by many as someone open to negotiations but who - as demonstrated in the assault on Gaza - is also willing to use force.

"I believe that the interest of Israel is two states for two peoples so I supported deeply the Annapolis process," she said. "And I believe in the dual¹¹ strategy - on one hand, to work with the moderates, with Mahmoud Abbas and others, and on the other hand, to act against terror."

The peace talks initiated¹² by the United States in Annapolis, Maryland in 2007 stalled after making no visible progress. The failure of the negotiations, along with the continuing threats of Hamas and Iran, are all factors working against her.

The war in Gaza, which once boosted Livni in the polls, has also damaged her popularity.

"The mood in Israel is very antagonistic¹³, I would say, against the Arabs and there is no appetite for peace right now," said Akiva Eldar, a political columnist¹⁴ and author in Tel Aviv. "There is more appetite for war. People want more of the same. They are not happy with the results of the war, not because what some people believe [that] we did some war crimes, but because they believe we should have been tougher. They complain that there are still rockets coming out of Gaza."
　
Israeli Defense¹⁵ Minister Ehud Barak (file)

Trailing a distant third in the polls is defense minister and former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who led the assault on Gaza. Analysts¹⁶ say Mr. Barak lost much support among leftists who opposed the scale of the attack and among rightists who disagree with his willingness to give concessions in exchange for peace.

Tuesday's elections were originally due next year. They had to be called early after Tzipi Livni failed to form a coalition¹⁷ government last year when she became head of the Kadima Party, following the resignation of Ehud Olmert. Mr. Olmert was forced to step down while facing corruption¹⁸ allegations.

The winner of Tuesday's elections will have to form a coalition government. Public opinion surveys indicate that of all three major candidates, Benjamin Netanyahu would have the least trouble doing it. Recent surveys show a number of smaller, hawkish¹⁹ parties would win enough seats in the Knesset - Israel's parliament - to get Mr. Netanyahu the majority he needs to form a government.

1 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

2 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。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 bustling   

adj.喧闹的

参考例句：

• The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。
• This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。

5 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

6 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

7 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

8 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

9 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

10 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

11 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

12 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

13 antagonistic   

adj.敌对的

参考例句：

• He is always antagonistic towards new ideas.他对新思想总是持反对态度。
• They merely stirred in a nervous and wholly antagonistic way.他们只是神经质地，带着完全敌对情绪地骚动了一下。

14 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

15 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

16 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

17 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

18 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

19 hawkish   

adj. 鹰派的, 强硬派的

参考例句：

• My staff's advice that first day was amazingly hawkish. 在第一天，我的僚属们的意见是令人吃惊的鹰派意见。
• Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet. 反战团体担心巴拉克·奥巴马可以创建强硬派内阁。