2006年VOA标准英语-Israel: Palestinians Smuggling Improved Ro

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
29 April 2006

Israel says it is facing a new strategic threat from the Palestinian-ruled Gaza Strip, because of the smuggling¹ of improved weapons across the Egyptian border. Israel believes it is headed for another round of conflict with the Islamic militant² group, Hamas, which now heads the Palestinian Authority.

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The Israeli army says Palestinian militants³ have smuggled⁴ some Katyusha rockets into the Gaza Strip, potentially threatening towns well inside Israel. Military sources say the rockets have been smuggled into Gaza through tunnels in the Rafah area, running under the border with Egypt. Israel abandoned Rafah, known as a corridor for weapons smuggling, when it pulled out of Gaza in August.

The army believes that the Islamic militant group, Hamas, which assumed control of the Palestinian Authority a month ago, is preparing for a new round of conflict with Israel. Hamas seeks Israel's destruction.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposed the Gaza pullout, heads the hawkish⁵ Likud party.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  
  
"We have to understand that any territory that we give to the Hamas will be used against us," said Mr. Netanyahu.

Netanyahu believes the smuggling of Katyusha rockets is the result of Israel relinquishing⁶ control of the volatile⁷ border between Gaza and Egypt. He says Israel's retreat will help Hamas to implement⁸ its agenda of jihad, or holy war.

"And, if we give them territory, they will expand into that territory, and flood it with missiles and other weapons," he added.

Katyusha rockets have a longer range than the homemade Palestinian Qassam rockets fired frequently at Israel. The Katyushas could hit strategic facilities like a power station in the nearby Israeli city of Ashkelon.

Israeli generals have warned that, in the wake of a new Katyusha threat, the army is drawing up a contingency⁹ plan to reoccupy parts of Gaza.

1 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

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 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 smuggled   

水货

参考例句：

• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Those smuggled goods have been detained by the port office. 那些走私货物被港务局扣押了。 来自互联网

5 hawkish   

adj. 鹰派的, 强硬派的

参考例句：

• My staff's advice that first day was amazingly hawkish. 在第一天，我的僚属们的意见是令人吃惊的鹰派意见。
• Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet. 反战团体担心巴拉克·奥巴马可以创建强硬派内阁。

6 relinquishing   

交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃

参考例句：

• The international relinquishing of sovereignty would have to spring from the people. 在国际间放弃主权一举要由人民提出要求。
• We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. 我们很明白，没有人会为了废除权力而夺取权力。 来自英汉文学

7 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

8 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

9 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。