VOA标准英语2011--Turkey, Israel Set for New Clash Over Se

Turkey, Israel Set for New Clash Over Second Gaza Aid Flotilla

Turkey is commemorating¹ the first anniversary of Israeli forces' attack on an aid flotilla headed to Gaza that left nine pro-Palestinian activists² dead. The deaths - eight Turkish citizens and an American citizen of Turkish descent - have ruptured³ relations between once close allies.
The crowd chanted "Damnation to Israel," as they marched through the center of Istanbul to remember the nine people killed by Israel's security forces while on the Turkish ship the Mavi Marmara. The international flotilla last year hoped to break the Israeli economic blockade of Palestinians living on the Gaza Strip.
Those marching on the one-year anniversary are still angry over the killings⁴.
PERSON1: "There was blood, violence and tears on Mavi Marmara, and we are still feeling that pain. We lost our nine brothers, and Israel is responsible for this."
PERSON2: "They killed our brothers on [the] Marmara ship and in Palestine. [They] always kill our brothers, and we protest Israel, and we say that Israelis [are] terrorists."
Since the incident, the two nations continue to exchange angry barbs⁵ over who was responsible for the deaths on the Turkish flagship.
The flotilla's organizers - the Free Gaza Movement and the Foundation for Human Rights, Freedoms and Humanitarian⁶ Relief (IHH), a Turkish aid group - have been planning an even larger event this year, reportedly with a 15-vessel flotilla with more than 1,000 international activists on board.
IHH deputy chief Huseyin Oruc says the international controversy⁷ about last year's killings offers protection to the ship.
"Now the whole world knows that this mission is a peaceful mission," said Oruc. "Any international committee can come to check the boats. And this is the only way to defend the boats. Now the whole world will watch the boats will follow the boat, and Israel will not make the same mistake again."
Israel accuses the IHH of being more a political organization than a charity, claiming it has close links to Hamas, which the European Union and the U.S. consider a terrorist organization, a charge the charity denies.
But in an attempt to dispel⁸ such criticisms, this year's flotilla is more broadly supported by organizations around the world. A total of 15 countries, mainly from Europe, are providing ships. The organizers claim such support will stop Israel from military intervention⁹.
But Dror Feilier, spokesman for the Swedish ship, says they are still preparing for the worse.
"It will be passive resistance, in Sweden, and in other countries, we are going to train all the passengers in non-violent resistance, we are not giving the boats away," said Feilier.
But Israel continues to defend its actions and warns it will continue to enforce its economic embargo¹⁰. The possibility of another showdown has led the United States to lobby Ankara to stop the flotilla.
But Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu ruled out any intervention.
It should be known that Turkey will give the necessary response to any repeated act of provocation¹¹ by Israel on the high seas, he said. Davutoglu added that those who believe Turkey should take certain steps to stop the new flotilla must first warn Israel not to repeat the human tragedy it caused last year.
Turkey's ruling AK party's tough stance towards Israel and, in particular, its support of the flotilla, does play well with the country's large religious population, according to political scientist Nuray Mert of Istanbul University. She says with the country in the midst of a general election, that could be a key factor in government policy.
"There are these speculations¹² that, well, it's part of the election campaign," said Mert. "It may be an effort to renew the popularity and renew the enthusiasm that they had the last year. It's a popular cause, and it will work for the present governing party."
Turkish voters go to the polls on June 12. With the flotilla due to set sail sometime in the last week of June, observers say time is running out to avoid the risk of another high seas confrontation¹³.

1 commemorating   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements. 他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The post office issued a series commemorating famous American entertainers. 邮局发行了一个纪念美国著名演艺人员的系列邮票。 来自互联网

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 ruptured   

v.（使）破裂( rupture的过去式和过去分词 )；（使体内组织等）断裂；使（友好关系）破裂；使绝交

参考例句：

• They reported that the pipeline had ruptured. 他们报告说管道已经破裂了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wall through Berlin was finally ruptured, prefiguring the reunification of Germany. 柏林墙终于倒塌了，预示着德国的重新统一。 来自辞典例句

4 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

5 barbs   

n.（箭头、鱼钩等的）倒钩( barb的名词复数 )；带刺的话；毕露的锋芒；钩状毛

参考例句：

• She slung barbs at me. 她说了些讥刺我的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I would no longer uncomplainingly accept their barbs or allow their unaccountable power to go unchallenged. 我不会再毫无怨言地洗耳恭听他们带刺的话，或让他们的不负责任的权力不受到挑战。 来自辞典例句

6 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。

7 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

8 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

9 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

10 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

11 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

12 speculations   

n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断

参考例句：

• Your speculations were all quite close to the truth. 你的揣测都很接近于事实。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. 这种可能性引起了有趣的推测。 来自《用法词典》

13 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。