VOA标准英语2010年-Israel In Firestorm as Fingers Point t

A hotel security camera shows men in tennis outfits¹ following Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh into his hotel room

Israel's ambassador to Britain has been asked to explain how some members of a hit squad² that killed a Hamas commander in a Dubai hotel last month were carrying British passports.  Authorities in Dubai have said they are almost certain that Israel's spy agency, Mossad, carried out the murder. The case touched off an international firestorm this week as several Israeli residents, whose names appear on the fraudulent passports, came forward and said their identities were stolen.

This video from a security camera has sent shockwaves around the world. It shows men in tennis outfits following Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh into his hotel room, where he was killed shortly afterwards. The men are then seen leaving the hotel. 

 

On Thursday, Britain asked Israel's Ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, to explain how some of the operatives were carrying fraudulent British passports. "I was unable to add additional information to Sir Peter Ricketts' request. And concerning your questions about the meeting itself," Prosor said. "As you know, it is not the usual way to talk about what happens inside those meetings."

Police in Dubai now say they are almost 100 percent sure that Mossad was behind the killing³. Officials in the Emirate have identified 11 people who they say traveled to Dubai  on European passports, took part in the operation and then slipped out of the country.

The faces of the 11 have been plastered on newspapers, and several Israeli residents whose names appeared on the list told the media their identities had been stolen.  Paul John Keeley says he was shocked and now lives in fear that he may be mistaken for one of the killers⁴. "I am angry. How could this happen to me. Why me?" he asked.

Keeley, who lives in an Israeli rural community, worries about visiting his parents in Europe because someone is using his name. 

Israeli officials have not confirmed or denied responsibility for the killing. 

Nevertheless, some Israeli commentators⁵ have called for the resignation of the head of Mossad.

On the streets, reactions are mixed, with some Israelis saying the government should target Hamas by any means necessary, while others worry about ordinary citizens being unknowingly involved in covert⁶ operations.

"To take regular people inside the situation, it's not good," one man said. 

An Israeli couple had these comments:
Woman: "I think it's not right to take identities from people from your own country, but I don't think we should be concerned about it.
Man: Yeah, it's not something to be concerned about.
Reporter: Why not be concerned? 
Woman: "Because it's actually for the good of our country."  

Mabhouh was a founder⁷ of the military wing of Hamas. He was key, Israel says, in obtaining weapons for Hamas attacks on Israelis. The group's charter calls for the destruction of Israel.

If confirmed, this would be one of the few times a Mossad operation has received  this much publicity⁸.

Some members of Hamas are blaming Israel for Mabhouh's death.  Those attending a rally in Gaza this week called for revenge.  More rallies are planned in the coming days.
 

1 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

2 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

5 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 covert   

adj.隐藏的；暗地里的

参考例句：

• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
• The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

7 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

8 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。