VOA标准英语10月-Riots in Acre Expose Israeli Arabs' Frustrations

Recent clashes between Jews and Israeli Arabs in the northern Israeli city of Acre have highlighted tensions that exist between Arabs and Jews - even in areas of the country where the two have coexisted peacefully for decades. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Acre that Arabs in Israel want equality and an end to discrimination.
　

The shattered window of a shop in the mixed city of Acre, northern Israel, 11 Oct 2008

Conflict is no stranger to the ancient Mediterranean¹ port city of Acre. In millenniums past, the city has been the scene of a bloody² rebellion against the Assyrians, been conquered by the Crusaders, and resisted Napoleon.

Since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, the picturesque³ city - on the list of the UNESCO world heritage sites - has been touted⁴ as a shining example of coexistence between its 70 percent Jewish majority and 30 percent Arab minority. That image was shattered this month, when Jews and Arabs went on a rampage.

It started on the eve of Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest day, when an Arab, Tawfiq Jamal, drove his car, blaring loud music, through a Jewish neighborhood. Angered, Jewish youths chased and besieged⁵ the man.

Rumors⁶ that he had been killed spread quickly through Arab neighborhoods, drawing hundreds of mostly young Arabs to the Jewish neighborhood to retaliate⁷. This man, a Jew, was inside his home when it was surrounded by Arab youths.

He says hundreds of Arabs arrived at his house in the middle of the night, faces covered, turning over cars, breaking windows. He says his mother and father in law were terrified as hundreds surrounded the house, yelling "God is Great" in Arabic.

Jewish youths retaliated⁸ by setting fire to homes of Arabs and attacking their cars.

Most of the smashed cars have been hauled away and broken store windows repaired, but Acre remains⁹ a city in fear.
　

Israeli border policemen patrol in a market in the mixed city of Acre, northern Israel, 12 Oct 2008

Police have been posted to the main thoroughfares to check cars coming in and soldiers patrol the streets.

Acre's old city and waterfront, usually crowded with tourists during the Jewish holidays, is nearly deserted¹⁰. An Arab and owner of a souvenir shop, says he has not sold a thing in days.

He says the situation in Acre is very bad and reminds him of the Palestinian uprising eight years ago, when for two years he opened his shop in the morning and closed at sundown without selling one thing.

He and other Arab businesspeople on the Acre waterfront say tensions have been rising in recent years as the local authorities promote a plan to gentrify the old city.

He says he believes the Jews clearly want to push the Arab merchants out in order to bring investors¹¹ in.

Arab activists¹² say that while Israeli Arabs have full citizens' rights and are entitled to public health and other benefits, they continue to suffer discrimination in city services, education, and housing.

Sami Hawari is an Arab community advocate and writer.

"The fa?ade of coexistence in this city between Arabs and Jews, it is false advertising¹³ and I believe there is a lot of conflict between Arabs and Jews," he said. "Actually, Acre is representative of Israel. It is a microcosm of what is happening between Arabs and Jews in this land."

In the days after the riots, some Jewish factions¹⁴ distributed leaflets urging Jews not to patronize Arab shops. This 66-year-old Arab woman in Acre's old city says actions like these are doing little to heal wounds.

She says those who distributed the leaflets should be ashamed of themselves. Arabs, she says, make money off Jews and Jews make money off Arabs. Both should avoid attacking each other. But at the same time, she says if any Jew attacks an Arab, the Arabs will strike back.

Unlike their fellow Arabs in the Palestinian territories, Israeli Arabs consider themselves Israeli citizens. They enjoy democracy, the benefits of Israel's national health system, access to Israeli education, and the opportunities that Israel's strong economy offers. Virtually all Arabs interviewed in Acre say they would never consider moving to newly independent Palestinian state.

Near the scene of the riots, young Israelis - Jews and Arabs - gather for a quiet peace rally. A 30-year-old Jewish man attending the rally says both sides have no choice but to coexist.

"There is sort of the reality that it will never change. [Both] people live in the place and I cannot see them going out of the place. So even if there will be two states, I believe that Arabs will live in Jewish places ... and we will have to both learn how to make it happen," he said

Israelis disagree on how best to ensure peaceful coexistence. On the left, some politicians urge greater spending on social services for Arabs. On the right, some are calling for tougher law enforcement and penalties for those who disturb the peace, while extremists call for deportation¹⁵ of all Arabs.

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

3 picturesque   

adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的

参考例句：

• You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
• That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

4 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

5 besieged   

包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。
• The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。

6 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

8 retaliated   

v.报复，反击( retaliate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• When he once teased her for her inexperience, she retaliated. 有一次，他讥讽她没有经验，她便反唇相讥。 来自辞典例句
• The terrorists retaliated by killing three policemen. 恐怖分子以杀死三名警察相报复。 来自辞典例句

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 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。

11 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

12 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

14 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

15 deportation   

n.驱逐，放逐

参考例句：

• The government issued a deportation order against the four men.政府发出了对那4名男子的驱逐令。
• Years ago convicted criminals in England could face deportation to Australia.很多年以前，英国已定罪的犯人可能被驱逐到澳大利亚。