2006年VOA标准英语-Israel Approves Palestinian Vote in Arab E

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
15 January 2006

Acting¹ Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert chairs an emergency cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Jan. 5, 2006  
  
Israel will allow Palestinian voting in East Jerusalem, resolving a dispute that had put elections in doubt. A powerful Islamic militant² group has been banned from the campaign.

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Israel's Cabinet unanimously approved Arab voting in disputed East Jerusalem, clearing the way for Palestinian parliamentary elections on January 25.

Israel sees all of Jerusalem as its capital, and it had threatened to prevent Palestinians in the city from voting. But the Palestinian Authority warned it would postpone³ the election, if voting rights were not granted.

The U.S. sees the election as an important step toward Palestinian democracy and statehood, so it pressured Israel to soften⁴ its position.

Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Cabinet that voting will be allowed on one condition. "Israel will not allow the Islamic militant group Hamas to participate in the Jerusalem vote," Olmert said.

Hamas has carried out dozens of deadly suicide bombings, and Israel says it is a terrorist organization. Israeli hawks⁵ are angry over the Cabinet decision.

 
A Palestinian boy holds Hamas flag as a convoy⁶ of cars waving the Islamist group's flags and electoral campaign posters drives through the West Bank city of Hebron, Sunday Jan. 15, 2006 
  
Parliamentarian Yuri Stern says it strengthens Palestinian claims to Jerusalem. "It's a terrible decision, a wrong one, and it clearly shows that this government is accepting the division of the city," he said.

Palestinian officials welcomed the decision to allow the vote, but they condemned⁷ the exclusion⁸ of Hamas.

"Palestinian legislative⁹ elections on the 25th of January 2006 must take place, without any interference from Israel or anybody else," Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told VOA.

Hamas is expected to make a strong showing in the elections, because many Palestinians are fed up with the government of President Mahmoud Abbas, which is widely seen as corrupt¹⁰ and ineffective. But Hamas seeks the destruction of Israel. Israeli officials have warned that, if Hamas joins a Palestinian government, it would doom¹¹ the peace process.

1 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

2 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。

3 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

4 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

5 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

6 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

7 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

8 exclusion   

n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行

参考例句：

• Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
• He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

9 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

10 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

11 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。