2007年VOA标准英语-Israeli Forces Kill at Least 6 Palestinians in

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
05 July 2007

At least six Palestinian gunmen from the Islamic militant¹ group Hamas have been killed in an Israeli incursion in the Gaza Strip.  As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, there are clear political goals behind the military action.

Israeli tanks and armored bulldozers moved into central Gaza, sparking fierce clashes with gunmen from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.  Soldiers took up positions on rooftops, while the militants² planted mines.  Providing backup, Israeli aircraft swooped³ in and fired missiles.

The bodies of two Palestinians are seen in the morgue of the al-Aqsa hospital, in the central Gaza Strip, 05 July 2007

The army said the aim of the raid was to target militants involved in firing rockets at Israel and to find tunnels used in cross border attacks.

Israel has launched frequent raids into Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory three weeks ago.  Hamas routed the forces of western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a civil war.

The army believes that once Hamas consolidates⁴ power in Gaza, it will turn its weapons on Israel. 

"Clearly, Israel must take the initiative - a sustained effort and a sustained, I would say, campaign against the heads and the leaders of Hamas," said Israeli analyst⁵ Ra'anan Gissin.

Israel's strategy is to weaken Hamas while strengthening the new and moderate West Bank government of President Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen.  Gissin urges Israel to "do the necessary humanitarian⁶ gestures and more: prisoners released, opening the roadblocks, doing things to bolster⁷ and help Abu Mazen."

This week, Israel transferred $120 million in withheld⁸ tax revenues to Mr. Abbas, enabling him to pay the full salaries of government employees for the first time in more than a year.  But he paid Gaza civil servants on condition that they would not cooperate with the Hamas government, deepening the power struggle between the rival Palestinian factions⁹.

In retaliation¹⁰, Hamas forces in Gaza blocked 400 civil servants loyal to Mr. Abbas from going to their jobs.  They were told that the Abbas government in the West Bank is illegitimate.

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 swooped   

俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The aircraft swooped down over the buildings. 飞机俯冲到那些建筑物上方。
• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it. 鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来，并把它杀死。

4 consolidates   

巩固

参考例句：

• We've made a good start, now it's time to consolidate. 我们有了一个良好的开端，现在应该加以巩固。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Yuan Shih-k'ai, a would-be Oriental Bonaparte, now attempted to consolidate his power. 当时，一度可能成为东方波拿巴的袁世凯试图巩固他的权力。 来自英汉非文学 - 新闻报道

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 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。

7 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

8 withheld   

withhold过去式及过去分词

参考例句：

• I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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

10 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》