VOA标准英语2009-Israeli Plan to Annex Lands East of Jerusale

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu angered many Palestinians, in his recent speech, when he proclaimed Israel's intentions to keep Jerusalem as the united capital of the Jewish state. The Palestinians claim the eastern part of the city as the capital of their own future state, but Israeli plans to annex¹ lands east of the city and expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, could preempt² that possibility.
　
Mohamad Mussa Mashhur dreads³ construction of a wall near his home

Shepherd Mohamad Mussa Mashhur lives on a dry, barren hilltop, within a few meters of power lines. However, a kerosene⁴ lamp is what his family depends on for light.

Mashhur says the Israelis came to him and offered him water, electricity and telephone service if he let them put a road by his house. But he said he did not want any of that. He says he does not want a road built through his property.

Mashhur is among Palestinian residents who live on the fringes of a swathe of land to the east of Jerusalem that Israel plans to develop. The Israeli development plan - known as E-1 - seeks to link Jerusalem to Maale Adumim, Israel's largest settlement in the West Bank, by pushing Arab communities away from the connecting road.

With its dry rocky hills, much of this swathe of land resembles a moonscape. Its terrain⁵ is barren and unfit for farming, many of its steep jagged hillsides unfit for building.

Yet its political and religious value is such that for years, Israel has been determined⁶ to develop it and the Palestinians have been determined not to give it up.

"Natural rights of Jews"

Israel's aim is to protect the contiguity⁷ of Jerusalem. Backers of the plan say illegal building by Palestinians threatens to cut off the link between Jerusalem and the settlements including Maale Adumim.
　
Nadav Shragai

Author Nadav Shragai, a proponent⁸ of E-1, says the plan's aim is to guarantee Israelis access to West Bank settlements and to stop Arabs from building in areas east of Jerusalem.

Shragai says the construction will reinforce the Palestinians' demand to create a division of Jerusalem - a division he opposes. He says the Palestinians also look at Jerusalem as a metropolis⁹ that belongs to them.

Shragai disputes the Palestinians' claims to the eastern part of Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. In addition to practical issues, Shragai says there is another more compelling cultural reason for Israelis to claim this land.

Shragai points to the issue of principles and values. He says it has been more than 60 years since the creation of the State of Israel. He says Jews are coming back after a worldwide exile of 2,000 years.

For Shragai and other proponents¹⁰ of the plan, the drive to expand to points east is one largely based on religious values and the belief that God gave these lands to the Hebrew people.

Shragai says these are strongly significant places, from the point of view of the history of the biblical land of Israel. He says it is true that there is another population there and he says he and other Israelis do not ignore it. Aside from the practical issue, he says the plan is implementation¹¹ of what he believes is a natural right of the Jews to return to Israel.

My land, not yours

For Mashhur, this means a separation barrier may soon be built next to his home, cutting him off from the new Jewish communities.

Like many Palestinians, Mashhur was angered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent speech. The Israeli leader called for Palestinians to accept Israel as a nation state for the Jewish people, in exchange for allowing a Palestinian state. Mashhur says he can never make that concession¹². Religion for him, too, is a powerful motive¹³.

Mashhur says this land is his grandfathers' land. He was born on this land. He lives on this land. He says this land is Islamic land and he says he will is not going to let non-believers have it. He says it is his.

Annexation¹⁴

He says Israeli companies have for years offered him substantial sums of money to use his land. He says he has turned all offers down.

He says the Israelis have tried more forceful methods to get him to move.

He walks through heaps and mazes¹⁵ of broken concrete and twisted metal. It is what is left of his earlier home, which Israel declared illegal and bulldozed in 1987. Now, the ruins are a pen for his animals.
　
Jewish Settlement

In the distance, new homes go up in another West Bank Jewish settlement. Israel says it will not prevent settlers from building new homes to house a naturally growing population.

Although Jewish communities surround him, Mashhur says this to Mr. Netanyahu.

He, says he is not going to recognize Israel in Palestine - not just in Palestine but at all. Mashhur says the problem, as he sees it, is that Jewish immigrants came with much force and much support from outside. He says Palestinians are the weaker side. He says his people have not been able to get support from anyone.

Mashhur takes no comfort in U.S. President Barack Obama's ongoing¹⁶ calls for Israel to freeze settlements.

He waits for the wall to go up.

1 annex   

vt.兼并，吞并；n.附属建筑物

参考例句：

• It plans to annex an England company in order to enlarge the market.它计划兼并一家英国公司以扩大市场。
• The annex has been built on to the main building.主楼配建有附属的建筑物。

2 preempt   

v.先发制人；先取

参考例句：

• We arrived early at the theatre so as to preempt the front seats.我们早早来到剧院，以便捷足先登占到前排座位。
• He pre-empted any decision to sack him.他预先阻止了所有解雇他的决定。

3 dreads   

n.恐惧，畏惧( dread的名词复数 )；令人恐惧的事物v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The little boy dreads going to bed in the dark. 这孩子不敢在黑暗中睡觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A burnt child dreads the fire. [谚]烧伤过的孩子怕火（惊弓之鸟，格外胆小）。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 kerosene   

n.(kerosine)煤油，火油

参考例句：

• It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
• Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电，有煤油灯。

5 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 contiguity   

n.邻近，接壤

参考例句：

• The contiguity of the house and the garage was a convenience in bad weather.住宅和车库毗邻，这在天气不好的时候是很方便的。
• Scientists want to investigate the relation between xerophthalmia occurrence and smut contiguity.科学家们打算探讨干眼症与煤尘接触之间的关系。

8 proponent   

n.建议者；支持者；adj.建议的

参考例句：

• Stapp became a strong early proponent of automobile seat belts.斯塔普是力主在汽车上采用座椅安全带的早期倡导者。
• Halsey was identified as a leading proponent of the values of progressive education.哈尔西被认为是进步教育价值观的主要支持者。

9 metropolis   

n.首府；大城市

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。
• He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

10 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

11 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

12 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

13 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

14 annexation   

n.吞并，合并

参考例句：

• He mentioned the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910 .他提及1910年日本对朝鲜的吞并。
• I regard the question of annexation as belonging exclusively to the United States and Texas.我认为合并的问题，完全属于德克萨斯和美国之间的事。

15 mazes   

迷宫( maze的名词复数 )； 纷繁复杂的规则； 复杂难懂的细节； 迷宫图

参考例句：

• The mazes of the dance were ecstatic. 跳舞那种错综曲折，叫人快乐得如登九天。
• For two hours did this singlehearted and simpleminded girl toil through the mazes of the forest. 这位心地单纯的傻姑娘在林间曲径中艰难地走了两个来小时。

16 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。