2007年VOA标准英语-Hamas Consolidates Hold on Gaza Strip

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
14 June 2007

Hamas militants¹ overran the main security headquarters of the Fatah organization in the Gaza Strip on Thursday and targeted remaining key facilities under Fatah control. VOA's Jim Teeple reports from Jerusalem at least 25 people were killed in Thursday's fighting, bringing to nearly 100 the number of people killed since fighting between the two factions² began six days ago.

Hamas militants ride in a truck outside the Preventive Security headquarters after it was captured in Gaza City, 14 Jun 2007

Hamas militants seized control of the headquarters of the Fatah Preventive Security Force after a quick battle, and according to witnesses, summarily executed a number of Fatah militants after they surrendered.

A spokesman for Hamas called the victory a second liberation of the Gaza Strip, referring to Israel's withdrawal³ from the territory in 2005.

Hamas militants warned Fatah gunmen to surrender their remaining positions, including President Mahmoud Abbas' Gaza headquarters building.

Mr. Abbas, who heads Fatah, says he is reviewing suggestions that he pull Fatah out of the Palestinian unity⁴ government or declare a state of emergency, something recommended by the Palestine Liberation Organization, an umbrella group allied⁵ with the Palestinian president.

Yasser Abed Rabo, the deputy head of the PLO, warned Thursday that if Hamas does take over in Gaza, Palestinian democracy will suffer.

"What they are doing now is they are trying to solidify⁶ their grip over Gaza by all means, including military means," he said. "They do not believe in the democratic process where you can change the government every four years. They believe it is a divine mission granted to them, and they should seize the opportunity."

Since fighting dramatically escalated⁷ on Wednesday, Fatah forces have been largely routed by more disciplined Hamas militants.

Reporter Mohammed Dawass in Gaza says unlike Hamas, Fatah was unprepared for an all-out conflict.

"They [Fatah] were not really preparing themselves like Hamas did," said Dawass. "Hamas has been preparing itself for a long time. Especially after the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, they [Hamas] managed to get weapons from across the borders. Fatah did not really expect this to happen actually."

Meanwhile, over the past few days, Fatah security forces have been rounding up Hamas militants in the West Bank.

Fatah and Hamas have been locked in a bitter power struggle since Hamas won legislative⁸ elections last year. Hamas leaders say their security forces in Gaza are dominant⁹ and should be integrated into the Palestinian police, a move rejected by Mr. Abbas. They also say Fatah forces are behind a crime wave of kidnappings and violence.

If Hamas does take complete control of the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territories will be effectively split between Hamas and Fatah, which largely controls the West Bank. That would mean the end of a unified¹⁰ Palestinian governing authority and a probable end to any attempt to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

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 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

3 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

4 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。

5 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

6 solidify   

v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)团结

参考例句：

• Opinion on this question began to solidify.对这个问题的意见开始具体化了。
• Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷冻会结冰。

7 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

8 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。

9 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

10 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。