VOA标准英语2008年-Israeli Prime Minister Urged to Keep Promise to

There is political turmoil¹ in Israel after the ruling party elected a new leader. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.
　
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni addresses party members at the Kadima headquarters in Petah Tikva , 19 Sep 2008

A day after she was elected leader of Israel's ruling Kadima party, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni reminded Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he had promised to step down.

"We have a country to run," Livni told party members, "and we don't have a lot of time to fool around."

Mr. Olmert had promised to resign over a corruption² scandal as soon as Kadima chose a new leader. But unless he takes a leave of absence, Israeli law requires him to stay on as caretaker prime minister until Livni forms a new government. That could take about two months and it is not a done deal.

The right-wing ultra-Orthodox Shas party, a current coalition³ member, is reluctant to join Livni because it opposes her plans to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians that would include relinquishing⁴ parts of Jerusalem.

Zalman Shoval of the opposition⁵ Likud party says Livni also faces unrest in her Kadima party because she defeated hawkish⁶ former army chief Shaul Mofaz by just one percentage point.

"Her task will be very difficult because as it turned out, 50 percent more or less of her own party didn't support her in these primary elections," he said. "So she will try to set up a government, but it looks [like] she'll have to overcome quite serious obstacles."

If Livni fails to form a new government there would be early elections next year, probably in March.

Prime Minister Olmert could remain in office until then, giving him more time to try and reshape his legacy⁷: He would rather be remembered as the Israeli leader who made peace with the Palestinians than the one who resigned over a corruption scandal.

 

1 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

2 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。

3 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。

4 relinquishing   

交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃

参考例句：

• The international relinquishing of sovereignty would have to spring from the people. 在国际间放弃主权一举要由人民提出要求。
• We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. 我们很明白，没有人会为了废除权力而夺取权力。 来自英汉文学

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 hawkish   

adj. 鹰派的, 强硬派的

参考例句：

• My staff's advice that first day was amazingly hawkish. 在第一天，我的僚属们的意见是令人吃惊的鹰派意见。
• Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet. 反战团体担心巴拉克·奥巴马可以创建强硬派内阁。

7 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。