VOA标准英语2009年-Report Slams Israeli Claim of Settlement F

Israel is under fire again for alleged¹ settlement expansion, this time in a report by an Israeli watchdog group. The settlers are crying foul².
　
Caravans³ used for housing are seen at a Jewish outpost on a hilltop near the northern West Bank settlement of Itamar, 18 Aug 2009

Israel's dovish Peace Now movement denies claims by the right-wing Israeli government that it has imposed a partial settlement freeze in the West Bank. Last week, Israel won praise from U.S. President Barack Obama when it said it has not approved any new housing projects in the West Bank since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office five months ago.

Peace Now chairman Yariv Openheimer says Israel is trying to fool the United States, which sees settlement expansion as an obstacle to peace.

"Our report shows that the construction in the settlements never stopped and this is not a settlement freeze," Matar said.

Openheimer says that while new projects are on hold, settlers can easily build thousands of apartments and homes based on old plans that have already been approved. There is existing permission for the construction of up to 40,000 housing units, according to Peace Now, and construction on 600 began this year.

Peace Now has infuriated the settlers and their supporters. Last week, Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon set off a storm when he described the group as a "virus." Pro-settlement activist⁴ Nadia Matar accused the Israeli watchdog group of being anti-Israeli.

"As an organization funded by anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli groups abroad with a lot, a lot of money, Peace Now are promoting the agenda of the Arab enemy and incite⁵ against the Jews," Matar said.

The settlement issue will be high on the agenda this week, when Prime Minister Netanyahu holds a series of high-level talks in Europe. He will be meeting U.S. Middle East envoy⁶ George Mitchell as well as the leaders of Britain and Germany.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

3 caravans   

（可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队）

参考例句：

• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles that are pulled by horses. 旧式的吉卜赛大篷车是由马拉的涂了颜色的木质车辆。
• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles. 旧时的吉普赛大篷车是涂了颜色的木质车辆。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。

6 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。