2007年VOA标准英语-Israel Releases $100M in Frozen Tax Funds to Pa

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
19 January 2007

Israel is easing an economic boycott¹ on the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority, releasing funds for the first time in 10 months. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, it is part of Israel's strategy to strengthen Palestinian moderates while weakening the radicals².

Mahmoud Abbas (file photo)

Israel has released $100 million in frozen tax funds and transferred the money to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. It was the first such transfer of funds since the Islamic militant³ group Hamas took power in March. Israel and the international community have imposed crippling sanctions on Hamas because it seeks the destruction of the Jewish state and is regarded as a terrorist organization.

At the same time, Israel wants to strengthen President Abbas who is locked in a violent power struggle with Hamas for control of the Palestinian Authority.

"The prime minister has been very clear about the fact that he respects the Palestinian president for the fact that he stands up and states clearly that he is for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue through dialogue and not through violence," said Miri Eisen, spokeswoman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The transfer of funds is only 25 percent of what Israel owes, but Palestinian analyst⁴ Bassam Eid says it is a step in the right direction.

"I think that the Palestinian people will appreciate any country who will provide any aid to the Palestinians," he said.

Israel says the funds are earmarked for humanitarian⁵ aid in the West Bank and Gaza and to beef up security forces loyal to Mr. Abbas. But in a bid to keep the pressure on Hamas, the money will not be used for the salaries of 165,000 Palestinian civil servants who have not been paid in full in 10 months.

Hamas officials criticized Israel, saying it has no right to bypass the elected Palestinian government or to determine how the money will be used.

1 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

2 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

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。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

5 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。