Israel Concerned Egypt Upheaval Could Radicalize Arab Neighb

The Israeli government is watching the violent unrest in Egypt - and protests in other Arab countries - with the primary concern that a radically² aggressive Islamist regime could take over in Cairo and the political upheaval³ could spread.
The protests and street clashes in Cairo are redrawing the strategic and political landscape in the Middle East, and Israel is finding itself surrounded by Arab countries and governments facing an uncertain future.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's decision not to run for re-election after three decades in power could have an impact on relations defined by the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.
Israeli President Shimon Peres said, "We always have had, and still have, a great respect for President Mubarak, and we do not say everything that he did is right, but he did one thing, which all of us are thankful for him. He kept the peace in the Middle East."
In Israel, which has counted on its more than 30-year-old peace treaty with Egypt for regional stability, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now confronts a new unknown in the country's very dangerous neighborhood.
Jordan's King Abdullah has fired his Cabinet, bowing to public pressure for reform after demonstrations⁴ inspired by those in Egypt.
In the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered his ministers and other officials not to talk publicly about the situation in Egypt.
Mark Heller, a senior analyst⁵ at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, describes Israel's number one concern. "That a radically aggressive, Islamist regime might take over in Egypt and, among other things, direct its hostility⁶ and aggressiveness against Israel."
Tzvica Fogel is a retired⁷ brigadier general in the Israel Defense⁸ Forces, and is currently a military analyst. He said the prospect⁹ of President Mubarak exiting from Egypt's political leadership is causing the Israeli military to rethink its most significant regional strategic relationship.
Fogel said the military is not necessarily planning on an eventual¹⁰ breaking of the peace agreement with Egypt, but is focusing on the influence of Islamist groups on Israel's borders.
As Fogel put it, "this concentration of terrorist organizations is something that at the moment ought to make us all lose sleep."
Binyamin Ben Eliezer, a former Israeli defense minister, is critical of the United States for advocating a rapid transition in the Egyptian government.
Ben Eliezer said he thinks the Americans do not understand, as he puts it, the tragedy in which they have participated, because, he says, it is endangering the peace process in the Middle East.
Developments in the past five years, including the takeover by the militant¹¹ Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the rise of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran's influence in the region have many Israelis feeling the area is turning even more against them.
Analysts¹² say if Muslim hard-liners take power in Egypt, Israel will feel surrounded in a way it has not been for decades.
Heller said, "In the most extreme case, we could have a situation in which there is a radical¹ force dominating - a radical Sunni force dominating Egypt, a radical Shi'ite force dominating Iran - and an ongoing¹³ competition between the two of them to show who is more active and effective in confronting Israel and the United States."
Heller said Israel should make a conscious effort to maintain a low profile during the Arab unrest because almost anything the country says or does probably will be criticized and counterproductive.

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

3 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

4 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

5 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。

6 hostility   

n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争

参考例句：

• There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
• His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 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。

9 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

10 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

11 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 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。