VOA标准英语2009年-Egypt Temporarily Opens Gaza Crossing

Egypt is partially¹ opening its border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The border crossings are a key issue in Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire talks.
　
Palestinian men wave red Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Palestinian flags behind razor-wire at a demonstration² calling on Egypt to open the border with Gaza, 21 Feb. 2009

Egyptian authorities opened the border with Gaza for the first time in months, partially easing a crippling blockade. More than 2,000 Palestinians students and medical patients, as well as stranded³ foreigners, will be allowed to leave Gaza during the next three days.

Both Egypt and Israel sealed their borders with Gaza after the Islamic militant⁴ group Hamas seized control of the territory nearly two years ago, ousting⁵ the forces of western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas . Egypt and Israel are demanding a return to the previous situation in which officials loyal to Mr. Abbas controlled the border crossings under an international agreement.

Former Palestinian Cabinet Minister Ziad abu Zayyad says the blockade has been counterproductive. He says that after Israel's recent three-week military assault on Gaza, Palestinians need normalcy.

"And normalizing the life in Gaza means opening the passages and allowing people to have all their needs through the passages, whether to Israel or to Egypt," abu Zayyad said. "I think this will be a major step to contributing to peace."

Negotiations⁶ are currently underway to reopen the border passages as part of a long-term cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. But the Egyptian-mediated talks hit a snag, when Israel linked any truce⁷ with the release of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held for more than two years by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli Cabinet Minister Meir Sheetrit.

"This time we have to bring back Gilad home," Sheetrit said. "I think it is inconceivable to believe that we can live him there for more time. It must be one of the conditions to open those passages and one of the conditions for [a]cease-fire."

Israel is prepared to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit, but Hamas insists the border crossings must be opened first and that the two issues are not linked. Shalit is a powerful bargaining chip that gives Hamas leverage⁸ with Israel, and the group is in no hurry to give him up.

1 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

2 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

4 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

5 ousting   

驱逐( oust的现在分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• The resulting financial chaos led to the ousting of Bristol-Myers' s boss. 随后引发的财政混乱导致了百时美施贵宝的总裁下台。
• The ousting of the president has drawn widespread criticism across Latin America and the wider world. 洪都拉斯总统被驱逐时间引起拉丁美洲甚至全世界的广泛批评。

6 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。

7 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

8 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。