2006年VOA标准英语-UN to Investigate Alleged Human Rights Violatio

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
06 July 2006
 
The U.N. Human Rights Council has voted to send an urgent fact-finding mission to Gaza to investigate alleged¹ human rights violations³ there by Israel. At the end of a special session of the Council, members approved a resolution condemning⁵ Israel's military actions in Gaza by a vote of 29 to 11 and five abstentions.

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A wounded Palestinian man covered in dust from explosion is helped in his house following Israeli missile strike on Palestinian Interior Ministry⁶ in Gaza City, early Wednesday, July 5, 2006  
  
The resolution criticizes Israel for the arrest of Palestinian government ministers, other officials and civilians⁷. It condemns⁸ the military attacks against Palestinian ministries⁹, power plants, and bridges.

The text demands that Israel end its military operations in Gaza and refrain from imposing¹⁰ what it calls collective punishment on Palestinian civilians. It calls for a negotiated solution to the current crisis.

Canadian Representative Terry Cormier said his country voted against the resolution because it did not provide a balanced perspective on events in Gaza.

"This draft resolution focuses almost entirely¹¹ on Israel, while ignoring that party's legitimate¹² security concerns," he said. "It also fails to acknowledge that the Palestinian Authority has the responsibility to prevent the constant firing of rockets into Israel, to resolve the present hostage-taking crisis and to prevent the reoccurrence of such criminal acts." 

Relatives cry in family home during funeral of Palestinian killed in Israeli attack in Gaza City, July 6, 2006   
  
Pakistan's Ambassador, Masood Khan, speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, expressed his dismay. He said he could not understand how any country could vote against the resolution in the face of the escalation¹³ and violation² of human rights in the territory.

"The crisis, Mr. President, is serious," he said. "A provocation¹⁴ does not justify¹⁵ disproportionate use of force against civilians and non-combatants in contravention of the Geneva Conventions."

John Dugard is the Special U.N. Investigator¹⁶ who will be going to Gaza. He presented a report to the Council at the beginning of the session in which he accused Israel of collective punishment. He also criticized Israel for violating the prohibition¹⁷ on measures of intimidation¹⁸ and terrorism in its actions in Gaza.

The Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Itzhak Levanon, accused the Council of double standards and of vilifying¹⁹ his country.

"Allow me to remind our august Council that the current crisis on which we are meeting today was not initially²⁰ provoked by the Israeli incursion into Gaza," he said. "It was triggered by the attack on our sovereign territory by Palestinian terrorist groups with the aim of sowing death."

Levanon told the Council Israel left Gaza last summer of its own free will and did not intend to return there this summer. He said the Council had to condemn⁴ the Palestinian terrorist actions, if it did not want to fall into disrepute as had its predecessor²¹, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights.

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 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

3 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

4 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

5 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

8 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

10 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

11 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

12 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

13 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

14 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。

15 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

16 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

17 prohibition   

n.禁止；禁令，禁律

参考例句：

• The prohibition against drunken driving will save many lives.禁止酒后开车将会减少许多死亡事故。
• They voted in favour of the prohibition of smoking in public areas.他们投票赞成禁止在公共场所吸烟。

18 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

19 vilifying   

v.中伤，诽谤( vilify的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A: But he is vilifying you! You should fight back. 可他是在诋毁你啊！你应该还击。 来自互联网

20 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

21 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。