2007年VOA标准英语-Israel's Supreme Court Orders Changes in West B

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
04 September 2007

Israel's construction of a controversial separation barrier in the occupied West Bank has suffered a legal setback¹ in the nation's highest court. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, Israel says the barrier is a security measure, while Palestinians describe it as a land grab.

Supreme2 Court's resolution to redraw route of the barrier, 04 Sept 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070908/0928150.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Palestinian boy holds a flag in West Bank village of Bilin as an Israeli army vehicle passes by a section of separation barrier, 04 Sept 2007

Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the state to redraw the route of its West Bank separation barrier near the Palestinian village of Bilin. When the decision was announced, residents came out to the fence to celebrate.

"They demolished⁴ the Berlin wall, we want to demolish³ the Bilin wall," the residents chanted.

Palestinian residents had petitioned the Supreme Court, charging that the barrier kept them from their fields and orchards⁵. The court rejected the state's argument that the route of the barrier, through Bilin's lands, was necessary to protect a nearby settlement from Palestinian attacks.

Israeli lawyer Michael Sfarad represented the Palestinians. He says the victory belongs to many people, referring to the weekly and often violent protests at the village, which became a symbol of resistance to the barrier. Left-wing Israelis demonstrated alongside Palestinians.

One Palestinian villager said the great achievement is that Jews and Arabs worked together to bring justice.

But many Israelis are unhappy with the Supreme Court decision. Analyst⁶ Dan Schueftan says the barrier keeps suicide bombers⁷ out of Israel, and the sooner it is built the better.

"So when you prevent the Palestinians from perpetrating suicide terrorism, and this should stop most of them, not all of them, then you are succeeding in a major way to curb⁸ terrorism," he said.

Israel began building the barrier during the height of Israeli-Palestinian violence in 2002. But legal obstacles and bureaucracy have slowed construction, and five years later, less than two-thirds of the project is complete.

1 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 demolish   

v.拆毁(建筑物等)，推翻(计划、制度等)

参考例句：

• They're going to demolish that old building.他们将拆毁那座旧建筑物。
• He was helping to demolish an underground garage when part of the roof collapsed.他当时正在帮忙拆除一个地下汽车库，屋顶的一部份突然倒塌。

4 demolished   

v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光

参考例句：

• The factory is due to be demolished next year. 这个工厂定于明年拆除。
• They have been fighting a rearguard action for two years to stop their house being demolished. 两年来，为了不让拆除他们的房子，他们一直在进行最后的努力。

5 orchards   

（通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园，把平地变成了粮仓。
• Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。