经济学人:巴勒斯坦俘虏 为什么他们意义重大

 　　Middle East and Africa Palestinian prisoners Why they count 中东和非洲 巴勒斯坦俘虏 为什么他们意义重大

　　The release of prisoners touches Palestinians to their core 俘虏的释放触及了巴勒斯坦人的核心

　　AS A measure of the seriousness of negotiations¹ between Israelis and Palestinians, the number of Palestinian prisoners released on the eve of talks, say pessimists², is a gloomy barometer³.  悲观主义者声称，以会谈前夕释放的巴勒斯坦俘虏数目作为对巴以协商认真程度的衡量，前景令人悲观。

　　When the two sides sat down to negotiate two decades ago, after signing the Oslo accords in 1993, Israel freed 2,000 Palestinians in a single year.  双方在20年前的1993年坐下协商签署奥斯陆协议之后，以色列一年就使2000名巴勒斯坦人重获自由。

　　For the next couple of years it released, on average, around 1,000 a year.  在以后数年，以色列平均每年释放大约1000人，

　　In later years that number slumped⁴ to a few hundred.  再往后该数目猛然下降至几百人。

　　Now, to coincide with the fresh round of talks that started in Jerusalem on August 14th, Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has freed just 26. 目前，为了配合8月14日于耶路撒冷开启的新一轮协商，以色列总理本杰明?内塔尼亚胡仅释放了26人。

　　Even this has provoked an outcry in Israel.  即便如此，还是在以色列国内引起了强烈抗议。

　　Many of the 26 were convicted of crimes of violence, including murder, against Israeli civilians⁵.  26人中有不少被指控包括谋杀在内的抗击以色列平民的暴力罪行。

　　Relations of the victims have carried black banners, accusing Mr Netanyahu of truckling to terrorists. 受害者的亲属使用黑色条幅谴责内塔尼亚胡屈从于恐怖主义分子。

　　Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president who is leading negotiations for his side, has had an even rougher time trying to persuade his people that the Israelis earnestly seek a peace deal.  带领巴方协商的总统马哈茂德?阿巴斯，甚至需要更多的时间去尝试说服人民相信以色列诚恳寻求和平协商。

　　Since July 19th, when America's secretary of state, John Kerry, announced that peace talks would restart,Israel—say human-rights campaigners—has detained eight times as many Palestinians as it has just released. 自从7月19日美国国务卿约翰?凯利宣布将重启和平谈判以来，人权运动领导人表示以色列扣留了8倍于刚释放的巴勒斯坦人的数目。

　　Indeed, many Palestinians deride⁶ Mr Abbas for winning freedom for so tiny a share of the 5,071 Palestinians said to be behind bars for politically motivated acts of violence or subversion⁷.  确实，许多巴勒斯坦人取笑阿巴斯仅为由于暴力或颠覆性政治运动而身陷囹圄的5071名巴勒斯坦人中的极小部分赢得自由。

　　All but one of the first 26 to be let out were convicted in or before 1994.  第一批即将释放的26人中除了一人之外均是于1994年或者之前被囚禁。

　　If the talks last long enough, a further 78 Palestinians are due to be freed in batches⁸ in the coming months. 如果此次协商持续时间足够长，在未来数月时间内，另有78名巴勒斯坦人应该会分批重获自由。

　　Mr Abbas's Palestinian critics say his non-violent policy is plainly less effective than that of Hamas, the Islamist faction⁹ that runs the Gaza Strip.  阿巴斯的巴方批评者声称，阿巴斯的非暴力政策没有操控加沙地带的伊斯兰组织哈马斯的政策有效。

　　In 2011 Hamas got Mr Netanyahu to release more than 1,000 prisoners in exchange for a single Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, who had been captured by Hamas and held for five years. 2011年哈马斯迫使内塔尼亚胡释放了1000多名俘虏用来交换一名被其俘获并拘留了5年的以色列士兵Gilad Shalit。

　　Few issues stir Palestinian emotions as fiercely as the fate of prisoners.  很少有其他问题能够像俘虏命运这样激发巴勒斯坦人的情绪。

　　Almost every Palestinian has a relative in jail—or has been there himself.  几乎每一名巴勒斯坦人都有一名亲人、或者自己身陷囹圄。

　　Human-rights groups estimate that 750,000 Palestinians have passed through Israeli prisons since the West Bank and Gaza were conquered in 1967.  人权组织估计自从1967年西岸及加沙被攻克以来，75万巴勒斯坦人遭受了以色列的牢狱之苦。

　　Some 2,300 Palestinians were detained in the first six months of this year alone.  仅在今年前六个月就有2300名巴勒斯坦人被拘留。

　　Whereas Israelis generally dub¹⁰ them terrorists, Palestinians call them asra, or prisoners of war, and devote large chunks¹¹ of their public broadcasts and budget to supporting them and their families.  尽管以色列将其统称为恐怖主义分子，巴勒斯坦人称其为asra或者战俘并通过广播与预算对他们及其家人加以支持。

　　Some have been sentenced for complicity in the 100-plus suicide-bombings which shook Israel during the intifada (uprising) that fizzled out in 2005.  因在2005年以失败告终的暴乱中合谋震惊以色列的100多起自杀炸弹袭击，一些人被判决。

　　But many of those that languish¹² in 17 special Israeli jails have no such blood on their hands. 但是，他们中许多人并未参与该流血事件却在17座以色列监狱中饱受折磨。

　　They include 14 members of the Palestinian parliament and hundreds of non-violent protesters who have tried in vain to stop Israel's army and settlers from acquiring their land.  俘虏中包括14名巴勒斯坦议会成员以及数百名阻止以军占领其土地无果的非暴力反抗者。

　　The military laws that Israel applies in the occupied territories make anyone taking part in anti-Israeli demonstrations¹³ liable to be arrested.  以色列在占领国土上应用的军法使得任何参加反以示威游行人员可能被逮捕。

　　Under Military Order 1651, throwing stones at people or property can carry a ten-year jail sentence.  根据军规1651条，向人或资产投掷石头可以被判十年监禁。

　　Of those Palestinians in prison, 193 are minors¹⁴, nearly all brought to court in leg shackles¹⁵ and handcuffs. 对于身陷囹圄的巴勒斯坦人，193相对较少，几乎全都背负手铐脚镣被带到法庭。

　　But Palestinians know their governments often treat political opponents little better.  但是巴勒斯坦人知道其政府基本不会对对手更好。

　　Since the Palestinian territories were split in June 2007 between Hamas-ruled Gaza and Mr Abbas's West Bank, both sides have habitually¹⁶ rounded up each other's activists¹⁷.  自从2007年6月巴方领土分裂为哈马斯统治的加沙以及阿巴斯的西岸，双方都围捕对方的积极分子。

　　Scores languish in Palestinian jails; some have been tortured. 很多人在巴勒斯坦监狱饱受折磨，甚至有人被施以酷刑。

　　Hamas's government has executed at least 16 for crimes including collaboration¹⁸ with Israel, and says it will hang two more publicly within days as “a lesson.  哈马斯政府已经至少处死了犯下与以色列勾结罪行的16人，并声称将在数天内公开绞死至少2人以儆效尤。

　　Under Israeli law people can be executed only for treason, genocide and “crimes against the Jewish people.  在以色列法律中，仅有叛国、种族灭绝、反对犹太人罪行才被处以死刑。

　　No one has been sentenced to death in an Israeli court since the execution in 1962 of Adolf Eichmann, an organiser of the Holocaust¹⁹. 自从1962年对犹太人大屠杀组织者Adolf Eichmann的处死之后，没有人在以色列法庭被判死刑。

　　Conviction rates for Palestinians in Israel's military courts, where most politically motivated cases are heard, exceed 99%.  巴勒斯坦人在以军法庭的定罪率超过99%，其中大多数是政治案件。

　　So many are processed every day that there is scant²⁰ time to delve²¹ into detail, let alone study cases in advance.  每天处理的案件过多以至于缺乏时间加以深究，更不必说提前研究案情。

　　Military judges, working in makeshift courts, rely on the testimony²² of soldiers to secure convictions, but when they fail to turn up, the detainees are often sent back to prison. 在临时法庭中工作的军事法官依据士兵的证词加以定罪，但是当士兵无法出庭时，被拘留者就被重新送回狱中。

　　What Palestinians want as a sign of good intent, is the release of thousands, not scores, of their compatriots.  作为一个好意的信号，巴方要求释放数千而不是几十人的同胞。

　　The Israelis hint that they will see how the talks proceed—and let more prisoners trickle²³ out if things go well. 以方暗示他们将看会谈的进行情况—如果进展顺利将释放更多俘虏。译者： 吕晓鹏

1 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。

2 pessimists   

n.悲观主义者( pessimist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pessimists tell us that the family as we know it is doomed. 悲观主义者告诉我们说，我们现在的这种家庭注定要崩溃。 来自辞典例句
• Experts on the future are divided into pessimists and optimists. 对未来发展进行预测的专家可分为悲观主义者和乐观主义者两类。 来自互联网

3 barometer   

n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标

参考例句：

• The barometer marked a continuing fall in atmospheric pressure.气压表表明气压在继续下降。
• The arrow on the barometer was pointing to"stormy".气压计上的箭头指向“有暴风雨”。

4 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

6 deride   

v.嘲弄，愚弄

参考例句：

• Some critics deride the group as self - appointed food police.一些批评人士嘲讽这个组织为“自封的食品警察”。
• They deride his effort as childish.他们嘲笑他的努力，认为太孩子气。

7 subversion   

n.颠覆，破坏

参考例句：

• He was arrested in parliament on charges of subversion for organizing the demonstration.他因组织示威活动在议会上被以颠覆破坏罪名逮捕。
• It had a cultural identity relatively immune to subversion from neighboring countries.它的文化同一性使它相对地不易被邻国所颠覆。

8 batches   

一批( batch的名词复数 )； 一炉； （食物、药物等的）一批生产的量； 成批作业

参考例句：

• The prisoners were led out in batches and shot. 这些囚犯被分批带出去枪毙了。
• The stainless drum may be used to make larger batches. 不锈钢转数设备可用来加工批量大的料。

9 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

10 dub   

vt.（以某种称号）授予，给...起绰号，复制

参考例句：

• I intend to use simultaneous recording to dub this film.我打算采用同期录音的方法为这部影片配音。
• It was dubbed into Spanish for Mexican audiences.它被译制成西班牙语以方便墨西哥观众观看。

11 chunks   

厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分

参考例句：

• a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
• Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？

12 languish   

vi.变得衰弱无力，失去活力，（植物等）凋萎

参考例句：

• Without the founder's drive and direction,the company gradually languished.没有了创始人的斗志与指引，公司逐渐走向没落。
• New products languish on the drawing board.新产品在计划阶段即告失败。

13 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。

14 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 shackles   

手铐( shackle的名词复数 )； 脚镣； 束缚； 羁绊

参考例句：

• a country struggling to free itself from the shackles of colonialism 为摆脱殖民主义的枷锁而斗争的国家
• The cars of the train are coupled together by shackles. 火车的车厢是用钩链连接起来的。

16 habitually   

ad.习惯地，通常地

参考例句：

• The pain of the disease caused him habitually to furrow his brow. 病痛使他习惯性地紧皱眉头。
• Habitually obedient to John, I came up to his chair. 我已经习惯于服从约翰，我来到他的椅子跟前。

17 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

19 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

20 scant   

adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略

参考例句：

• Don't scant the butter when you make a cake.做糕饼时不要吝惜奶油。
• Many mothers pay scant attention to their own needs when their children are small.孩子们小的时候，许多母亲都忽视自己的需求。

21 delve   

v.深入探究，钻研

参考例句：

• We should not delve too deeply into this painful matter.我们不应该过分深究这件痛苦的事。
• We need to delve more deeply into these questions.这些是我们想进一步了解的。

22 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。

23 trickle   

vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散

参考例句：

• The stream has thinned down to a mere trickle.这条小河变成细流了。
• The flood of cars has now slowed to a trickle.汹涌的车流现在已经变得稀稀拉拉。