2007年VOA标准英语-Israel Launches Air Strikes on Gaza as Palestin

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
16 May 2007

Israel has launched air strikes on the Gaza Strip in response to rocket attacks, leaving at least five Palestinian militants¹ dead. At the same time, warring Palestinian factions³ have called another truce⁴ aimed at ending fighting that has killed more than 40 people since Friday. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.

Palestinian men step on a picture of Palestinian PM Ismail Haniyeh as a protest against the Hamas-Fatah factional fighting, 16 May 2007

Israeli aircraft fired missiles at Hamas militants in Gaza, after more than 20 Palestinian rockets were fired across the border. The Israeli missiles hit Hamas military headquarters in the southern town of Rafah and a car carrying gunmen in northern Gaza.

Israeli air strikes have been rare since a ceasefire with Palestinians in Gaza began more than five months ago. But Hamas, the senior party in a Palestinian coalition⁵ government, has stepped up rocket attacks in recent days. Israelis in the hard hit town of Sderot accuse their government of abandoning them.

"We're on the front lines of a war," said one Sderot resident.  "We have a very strong army, but instead of the army coming to our defense⁶, they're just allowing us to suffer."

Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Israel is running out of patience.

"Israel cannot allow its citizens to be harmed," Peretz said. "It will take all the necessary action to defend its sovereignty."

Israel launched its strikes as Hamas and the rival Fatah faction² fought fierce gun battles on the streets of Gaza City.

The fighting caused heavy casualties, and Palestinians hunkered down in their homes.

This man on the street said that ordinary people are not from Hamas or Fatah. He said people, and especially children, are terrified.

At nightfall, Hamas and Fatah agreed to a ceasefire, the fourth in as many days. Expectations are low.  The previous ceasefires quickly collapsed⁷.

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

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 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。

6 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。

7 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。