VOA标准英语2013--Israeli Strikes in Syria Pose Dilemma for Arab States

 

Israeli Strikes in Syria Pose Dilemma¹ for Arab States

The Arab League early on suspended the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad, but has now rushed to condemn² attacks attributed to Israel against his forces. Yet the rebuke³ of Israel comes as the Arab League tries to revive a decade-old peace plan envisioning regional recognition of the Jewish state.

There also is the sectarian factor. Most Sunni-majority states have sided with Syria's Sunni-led opposition⁴, in part to thwart⁵ the reach of Shi'ite-led Iran into the Arab world. There is even quiet approval of Israel's determination not to let Iran create nuclear weapons.

Iranian ally Hezbollah has wide support in the region, however, precisely⁶ for its anti-Israel stance. Intelligence sources say the Israeli attacks were aimed at halting the transfer of Iranian-made missiles to the Lebanese Shi'ite group as they passed through Syria.

Syrian officials sought to capitalize on the confusion, tying Israel to Syrian rebel forces.

"[The Syrian military] has the right and responsibility to protect its country and people from any form of infringement⁷ either at home or abroad,” said Syrian Information Minister Omran al Zoubi.

For all the denunciations of the Israeli attacks, though, there appears to be little appetite for any military response.

When diplomatic efforts to end the Syrian conflict fell apart, the idea of Arab military intervention⁸ did not take its place. And Arab militaries have for decades shied away from confrontation⁹ with Israel, after defeat in previous wars.

As Israel appears to have taken an active military role in Syria, sectarian tensions spill across Syria's borders and the strain of more than a million refugees take their toll¹⁰, the region cannot avoid being affected¹¹, one way or another. 

1 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

2 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

3 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

4 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。

5 thwart   

v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的)

参考例句：

• We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。
• I don't think that will thwart our purposes.我认为那不会使我们的目的受到挫折。

6 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

7 infringement   

n.违反；侵权

参考例句：

• Infringement of this regulation would automatically rule you out of the championship.违背这一规则会被自动取消参加锦标赛的资格。
• The committee ruled that the US ban constituted an infringement of free trade.委员会裁定美国的禁令对自由贸易构成了侵犯

8 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

9 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

10 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

11 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。