VOA标准英语2008年-Israel's Defense Minister Calls on Olmert to St

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
28 May 2008

A new turn in a bribery¹ case is threatening to topple Israel's embattled prime minister.  The political crisis is overshadowing peace efforts, as we hear from Robert Berger at the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.

Israeli Defense² Minister Ehud Barak called for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down after incriminating testimony³ in a corruption⁴ scandal.

Barak said the Prime Minister could not function after an American Jewish businessman said he gave Mr. Olmert envelopes stuffed with cash to support a lavish⁵ lifestyle.  Prosecutors⁶ suspect that the businessman, Morris Talanksy, gave Mr. Olmert up to $500,000 over a 15-year period when he was a Cabinet minister and mayor of Jerusalem.

The Prime Minister says the money was for campaign contributions, but Talanksy testified that some of it was for a lavish lifestyle, including expensive cigars and hotels and flying first class.

Shocked by these allegations, Defense Minister Barak issued an ultimatum⁷.

He said if Mr. Olmert does not step down, he will pull his Labor⁸ Party out of the coalition⁹ government and force early elections.

Mr. Olmert's aides say he is innocent until proven guilty, and therefore, he will not resign.

But even if he hangs on to power, many wonder how a weakened prime minister can conduct fruitful peace talks.  Israel recently resumed negotiations¹⁰ with Syria after an eight-year break and Mr. Olmert is trying to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians by the end of the year.

The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank issued a statement saying that the political crisis in Israel will have a "negative impact" on the peace process.

1 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

2 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。

3 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

6 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

7 ultimatum   

n.最后通牒

参考例句：

• This time the proposal was couched as an ultimatum.这一次该提议是以最后通牒的形式提出来的。
• The cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.内阁今天开会商量如何应对这道最后通牒。

8 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

9 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。

10 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。