2007年VOA标准英语-New Palestinian Clashes in Gaza Leave Two Dead

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
27 January 2007

At least two Palestinian men were killed on Saturday in the Gaza Strip in clashes between the Palestinian factions¹ Hamas and Fatah.  The deaths bring to 20 the number of Palestinians killed, with more than 60 wounded in inter-Palestinian violence over the past two days. VOA's Jim Teeple has more from our Jerusalem bureau.

 
A Palestinian woman inspects the damage to her home following clashes between gunmen from Hamas and the Fatah Movement in the Jabaliya refugee camp

The violence is the worst since Palestinian unity² government talks collapsed³ last Sunday.  Ever since then, tensions between Fatah and Hamas have been building. 

Violence erupted Friday and continued on Saturday, with Hamas and Fatah trading heavy weapons fire at several locations in the Gaza Strip.  Some of the heaviest fighting was located in the Jabaliya refugee camp.  Among those killed over the past two days have been a two-year old boy and several civilians⁴ caught in crossfire⁵. 

Both Hamas and Fatah now say unity government talks have been suspended.  Salah Ra'fat, who is a key Palestinian negotiator trying to get both sides to reconcile, says he is not optimistic.

Ra'fat says efforts will continue to end the clashes, but at the moment tensions are high.

The clashes erupted on the one-year anniversary of the landslide⁶ Hamas victory in last January's Palestinian legislative⁷ elections.  Some of the worst violence on Friday took place as thousands of Hamas supporters rallied to mark their takeover of the Palestinian Authority. Both Hamas and Fatah are holding numerous hostages from both groups. 

The Palestinian government has been crippled by economic sanctions backed by Israel, the United States and the European Union, which stopped financial transfers and development aid to the Palestinian Authority because Hamas refuses to renounce⁸ violence and recognize Israel.  

 
Mahmoud Abbas at the World Economic in Davos, Switzerland

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads Fatah, and Hamas leaders have been trying for months to craft a unity government of technocrats⁹ that would allow international aid to be resumed. 

However both sides have been unable to agree on who would control key Cabinet posts, or on what any unity Palestinian government's position on Israel would be.  Mr. Abbas supports a two-state solution with Israel, with a Palestinian state existing side-by-side with Israel, while Hamas leaders have consistently said they will not recognize the Jewish state.

1 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

2 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

3 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

4 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。

5 crossfire   

n.被卷进争端

参考例句：

• They say they are caught in the crossfire between the education establishment and the government.他们称自己被卷进了教育机构与政府之间的争端。
• When two industrial giants clash,small companies can get caught in the crossfire.两大工业企业争斗之下，小公司遭受池鱼之殃。

6 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

7 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。

8 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

9 technocrats   

n.技术专家，专家政治论者( technocrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Few business barons remained. They were replaced by "technocrats," who became the heads of corporations. 企业巨头所剩无几，大多已被“技术专家”所代替，这些人成了公司的领导。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• However, bankers called the technocrats' bluff and proceeded to lend with gusto. 但是，银行家们称技术专家官员不过在虚张声势，并且还会乐观的继续借贷业务。 来自互联网