2007年VOA标准英语-Palestinian Factions Agree to Unity Government

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
08 February 2007

The Palestinian factions¹ Hamas and Fatah have agreed to form a unity² government and end fighting that has claimed the lives of more than 100 people since December. VOA's Jim Teeple reports from Jerusalem it is unclear if the agreement will satisfy international donors⁴ who say any new government must recognize Israel.

From left: Mahmoud Abbas, Saudi King Abdullah and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal

After two days of marathon talks brokered⁵ by Saudi Arabia in the Saudi city of Mecca, the leaders of Fatah and Hamas announced they will form a unity government made up largely of independent technocrats⁶. The accord comes after months of fruitless negotiations⁷ broken by factional fighting,

Speaking at the signing ceremony hosted by Saudi King Abdullah, Khaled Meshaal, the Damascus-based Hamas leader said all Palestinian factions would honor the agreement.

Meshaal says it is time for an immediate⁸ end to Palestinian factional fighting and violence. The Hamas leader also called on the international community to recognize the new government.

However the agreement does not specifically address three demands made by the U.S., Israel and the European Union for recognition, and a resumption of donor³ assistance to the Palestinian Authority - recognition of Israel, a renunciation of violence, and respect for previous peace agreements signed between Israel and the Fatah-led Palestine Liberation Organization.

A spokeswoman for Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said following the signing ceremony that any new government must meet those conditions if it expects to gain international acceptance.

A letter presented at the ceremony from Fatah leader and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas outlined aspects of the new government, saying it will abide⁹ by international law and previous agreements between Israel and the PLO. The letter also says the new government will follow guidelines published last year by Palestinian prisoners who outlined a peace plan with Israel based on Israel's 1967 borders.

Mr. Abbas, who recently threatened to call new elections if unity government talks failed, says the agreement will be welcomed by Palestinians tired of incessant¹⁰ violence.

He says the agreement is the beginning of a march to peace for Palestinians.

Both Fatah and Hamas have agreed to accept a new cabinet made up largely of technocrats. The key post of Interior Minister - responsible for the oversight¹¹ of most Palestinian security forces - will go to an independent acceptable to both factions.

News of the agreement was greeted with celebratory gunfire in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under the agreement the new government is expected to be installed within five weeks.

1 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

2 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

3 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

4 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

6 technocrats   

n.技术专家，专家政治论者( technocrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Few business barons remained. They were replaced by "technocrats," who became the heads of corporations. 企业巨头所剩无几，大多已被“技术专家”所代替，这些人成了公司的领导。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• However, bankers called the technocrats' bluff and proceeded to lend with gusto. 但是，银行家们称技术专家官员不过在虚张声势，并且还会乐观的继续借贷业务。 来自互联网

7 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。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

10 incessant   

adj.不停的，连续的

参考例句：

• We have had incessant snowfall since yesterday afternoon.从昨天下午开始就持续不断地下雪。
• She is tired of his incessant demands for affection.她厌倦了他对感情的不断索取。

11 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。