2006年VOA标准英语-Israel High Court Upholds Law Barring Pale

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
14 May 2006

A decision by Israel's High Court prevents the unification of some Arab families wishing to live in the Jewish state. The case pits security and demographic issues against human rights.

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A Palestinian stands at a border fence as he looks at the Israeli settlement of Metulla   
  

The Israeli Supreme¹ Court narrowly upheld a controversial law that prevents West Bank Palestinians from living with their spouses² and children who are Arab citizens of Israel. The government says Palestinians living in Israel pose a security threat and could assist terrorist elements in the West Bank.

The law states that only Palestinian women over the age of 25 and men over 35 are eligible³ to join their families in Israel, and eventually receive citizenship⁴.

An expanded panel of 11 judges voted six to five against a petition to strike down the law.

"This law is racist⁵, and it is a very bad day for human rights in the state of Israel," Orna Cohen, a lawyer for the petitioners⁷, told reporters.

Israeli Arab petitioner⁶ Murad al-Sana is married to a Palestinian woman from the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Now, they will be separated.

Asana said it is an "intolerable and inhumane" situation. He said "the government is preventing people from living a normal family life because of their nationality."

While the government says it is an anti-terrorism measure, officials admit that it is also about demographics. Israeli Arabs compose 20 percent of the population and their birthrate is higher than the Jews. So Israel fears the Jewish majority could be threatened if too many Palestinians are granted citizenship.

"We have to preserve the state of Israel, he said, as a state of the Jewish people," said Cabinet Minister Ze'ev Boim.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

3 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

4 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

5 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

6 petitioner   

n.请愿人

参考例句：

• The judge awarded the costs of the case to the petitioners.法官判定由这起案件的上诉人支付诉讼费用。
• The petitioner ask for a variation in her maintenance order.上诉人要求对她生活费的命令的条件进行变更。

7 petitioners   

n.请求人，请愿人( petitioner的名词复数 )；离婚案原告

参考例句：

• Petitioners suggest that anything less than certainty, that any speculation, is irresponsible. 申诉者认为不准确的事或推断都是不负责任的。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The judge awarded the costs of the case to the petitioners. 法官判定由这起案件的上诉人支付诉讼费用。 来自辞典例句