2006年VOA标准英语-Palestinian Rockets Land Near UN Official

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
21 November 2006

An Israeli factory worker was critically wounded Tuesday by rockets fired by Palestinian militants² in the Gaza Strip.  The rockets landed near a U.N. team visiting southern Israel, led by the U.N. High Commissioner³ for Human Rights.  The rocket fire took place as Israel launched a new offensive in the Gaza Strip, killing⁴ a senior Hamas militant¹, but also an elderly Palestinian woman.  

Israel launched a major military operation in Gaza City early Tuesday, surrounding the house of senior Hamas militant Ayman Hassanin, who was later killed in heavy fighting between Hamas militants and Israeli forces.  Tuesday's operation was the first Israeli incursion in Gaza City in several months, and came after two Hamas militants were killed by an Israeli airstrike late Monday. 

Israeli police officers run at the scene of a rocket attack by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip hit a factory in the town of Sderot, Israel, Tuesday, November 21, 2006

A short while later the armed wing of Hamas launched a barrage⁵ of Qassam rockets at the southern Israeli city of Sderot.  The rockets landed near a factory critically wounding one Israeli civilian⁶.  They also landed near a U.N. fact-finding team lead by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, who is on a five-day mission to Israel and the Palestinian territories. 

Christopher Gunness, a spokesman for the U.N. says the rockets landed about 200 meters from the U.N. officials who were parked nearby, but caused no damage or injuries to the team.  He says in her meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials Arbour has been calling on both sides to show restraint.

"She made it clear that both sides have to respect international humanitarian⁷ law," said Mr. Gunness.  "She made it clear to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, that he must take all necessary steps to bring those firing Qassam rockets into civilian targets into Israel - that they should be brought under control -- and these should stop immediately -- and that he must exercise his authority to bring that about.  On the Israeli side she was clear that, because as she put it, Israel was operating in an atmosphere of virtual impunity⁸ -- there have to be investigations¹⁰ - it must become clear - through an independent and authoritative¹¹ investigation⁹ what happened in Beit Hanoun. "

Two weeks ago nineteen members of an extended Palestinian family were killed in the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun after Israeli forces mistakenly shelled an apartment complex while targeting Palestinian militants. 

During her visit to Sderot on Tuesday several workers in the area where the rockets landed tried to storm the car carrying Arbour but they were pushed back by police.  Many residents have fled the city, and the issue of continuing rocket fire against Sderot has become a political issue in Israel, with critics saying Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government has failed to protect the lives and property of Israeli civilians¹².

1 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。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

8 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

9 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

10 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

11 authoritative   

adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的

参考例句：

• David speaks in an authoritative tone.大卫以命令的口吻说话。
• Her smile was warm but authoritative.她的笑容很和蔼，同时又透着威严。

12 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。