VOA标准英语2009年-Netanyahu Likely to Form New Israeli Coalition

Israeli election officials are continuing to tallying¹ votes Thursday before announcing the final results of parliamentary elections. It appears more likely that Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu will form the next Israeli government.
　
Israel's Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu attends a faction² meeting at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, 11 Feb 2009

Even though he came in a close second in the popular vote, analysts³ say it is likely that hawkish⁴ Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu will form the next Israeli government and become prime minister.

Right-wing parties control parliament and they back Mr. Netanyahu. The right has 65 seats in the 120-member Knesset, or parliament. The center-left, led by dovish Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, has 55 seats including seven for Arab parties. So among the Zionist parties, the right has a solid parliamentary majority.

"Israelis voted for change and they clearly gave a decisive victory to Netanyahu as the leader of the national camp," Ron Dermer, an advisor⁵ for Mr. Netanyahu. "Netanyahu can form a government very quickly."

Livni apparently⁶ won the popular vote but she is on course to become the first Israeli leader to "win" an election and fail to become prime minister.

But Knesset member Ze'ev Bielsky of Livni's Kadima party says she is not out yet because she defeated Mr. Netanyahu, who is nicknamed Bibi.

"Most of the people voted for Tzipi Livni, it was more personal elections as we all have seen, it was either Bibi or Tzipi, they voted Tzipi; so of course she's got the right to form a government and if it will be fruitful we'll have a government under Tzipi Livni," she said.

Israeli President Shimon Peres will meet with the various parties and then decide who to appoint to form a government, Mr. Netanyahu or Livni.

Mr. Netanyahu has the upper hand and he could try to form a rightist coalition⁷ or a more moderate national unity⁸ government with Livni's Kadima party. Either way, the right wing will have a strong say in the next government and that means trouble for the peace process. Mr. Netanyahu and his allies oppose the cornerstone of American Mideast policy: the creation of a Palestinian state.

1 tallying   

v.计算，清点( tally的现在分词 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• In 2007 the state set a U.S. record, tallying 141 twisters. 该州在2007年以总计出现了141个龙卷风而创下了一个美国记录。 来自互联网
• We charge extra fee at 100% of the rates of tallying fees. 我们按理货收费率的100%收取附加费。 来自互联网

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 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。

8 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。