2007年VOA标准英语-Syria Says It Fired on Israeli Aircraft That Vi

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
06 September 2007

Syria says it has fired on intruding¹ Israeli aircraft.  As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, the incident points to tensions between the two regional powers that have been simmering for months.

A picture taken from the Quneitra checkpoint shows an Israeli military station in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 06 September 2007

State-run Syrian television broke into its regular programming with a dramatic announcement.

It said that Syrian air defenses opened fire on Israeli planes that violated the country's airspace.

A Syrian spokesman said the aircraft broke the sound barrier and fired on a deserted² area, causing no injuries or damage.  The planes were forced to return to Israel.  The spokesman warned Israel against what he called "further flagrant aggression³."

The Israeli army refused to comment, saying it does not discuss military operations.

The incident is a sign of escalating⁴ tension, a year after Israel went to war against Syrian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.  A few months ago, the Israeli army warned of a Syrian military buildup, prompting broad speculation⁵ in the media that war could break out this year.

Israel fears that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has become bolder after the army failed to crush Hizbollah during the Lebanon War.

"There is no doubt that after the war in Lebanon there was a change in the Syrian attitude toward this issue of military conflict with Israel," said Israeli analyst⁶ Eyal Zisser.  "Before the war it was not on the Syrian agenda at all. Now, Bashar al-Assad himself says very clearly, 'I am now considering this possibility.'" 

Israel has been conducting war games on the strategic Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967.

"So what we can see on both sides of the border is the Israeli army and the Syrian army preparing themselves for a potential war," Zisser said.

Israeli and Syrian leaders have said they do not want a war, but Zisser says the border incident is a warning that it can happen. 

1 intruding   

v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于

参考例句：

• Does he find his new celebrity intruding on his private life? 他是否感觉到他最近的成名侵扰了他的私生活？
• After a few hours of fierce fighting,we saw the intruding bandits off. 经过几小时的激烈战斗，我们赶走了入侵的匪徒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

3 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

4 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

5 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

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。