2007年VOA标准英语-Violence, Political Crisis Deepen in Gaza Strip

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
14 May 2007

The Palestinian Interior Minister has resigned as a new wave of violence claimed six lives in factional fighting, and left more than 50 others wounded. VOA's Jim Teeple reports the fighting is raising fears that the two-month-old Palestinian unity¹ government could collapse².

During the past few days gunmen have returned to the streets of the Gaza Strip, raising fears once again of an all-out civil war between the Palestinian factions³ Hamas and Fatah. An Egyptian-mediated truce⁴ has largely failed to stop the fighting.

The violence was too much for Palestinian Interior Minister Hani Kawasmeh, a career civil servant who blamed both factions for failing to support his plan to reform the Palestinian security forces.

Kawasmeh says since his appointment he has faced obstacles from both factions that left him without any real power - and that without full authority to carry out his duties he was stepping down.

Hamas and Fatah now have to overcome their differences and agree on a new interior minister. In the meantime, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a leading Hamas militant⁵ has taken control of the Interior Ministry⁶.

Three months ago, Hamas and Fatah agreed to a Saudi-mediated peace deal known as the Mecca Agreement - it ended factional fighting and led to the formation of a unity Palestinian government largely dominated by Hamas.

Palestinian youth gather around a burning vehicle following factional clashes in Gaza City, 14 May 2007

Palestinian Information Minister, Mustapha Barghouti, an independent member of the government says he fears that with the latest violence the Mecca Agreement could come unraveled.

"There is absolutely the risk that the Mecca agreement could collapse, and the government could collapse," he said. "That is why we are working very hard now to prevent that from happening because of that happens it could be the end of the Palestinian Authority."

Barghouti says both factions need to step back and pull their gunmen off the streets before the violence gets worse.

"Both Hamas and Fatah must understand that this internal fighting cannot continue while they are both members in a coalition⁷ of a national unity government," he said.

Control of the Palestinian Interior Ministry has long been a source of dispute between Hamas and Fatah. Thousands of security force personnel are under the authority of the Interior Minister, and it took more than a month for Hamas and Fatah to agree on the appointment of Hani Kawasmeh to the post.

Thousands of additional gunmen work directly for Fatah and Hamas outside of Interior Ministry control. Last week, 3,000 additional police under the control of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads Fatah, were deployed⁸ in Gaza over the objections of Hamas.

1 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。

2 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

3 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

4 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

5 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。

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 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。