VOA常速英语2007年Israeli Parliamentarian Calls US Intelligence Re

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
08 December 2007

Israeli officials are throwing cold water on this week's U.S. intelligence report that plays down Iran's nuclear ambitions. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, Israel remains¹ deeply suspicious of Iran's nuclear program.

Israeli parliamentarian and former general Ephraim Sneh says a U.S. intelligence report that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program four years ago is "very flawed."

Sneh told Israel Radio that the report does not give sufficient weight to Iran's program to enrich uranium. He said even if Iran suspended its pursuit of nuclear weapons, enriched uranium would enable it to restart the program at any time.

Amos Gilad, a senior official in Israel's Defense² Ministry³, went even further.

He said Iran is determined⁴ to obtain nuclear weapons. Gilad told the same radio program that Iran's enrichment of uranium and development of long-range missiles shows its intentions are not innocent.

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, and it described the U.S. intelligence report as a "great victory."

Israel has grown increasingly alarmed about Iran's nuclear program since late 2005, when the Iranian president threatened to wipe the Jewish state "off the map."

Sneh said the statement shows that Iran poses an existential threat to the State of Israel. Hinting at a preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, Sneh said the U.S. report shows that when it comes to existential threats, Israel can rely on no one but itself.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 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。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。