中东—阿巴斯面临着来自哈马斯武装组织的挑战

Abbas Faces Challenges from Militant¹ Group Hamas

阿巴斯面临着来自哈马斯武装组织的挑战

 

Mahmoud Abbas has been president of the Palestinian Authority for about nine months.  Since his election last January, he has begun addressing some major internal problems, such as fighting corruption³, reforming the security apparatus⁴, and improving the economic well-being⁵ of the four million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza.

 

But analysts⁶ say Mr. Abbas faces an even greater test, how to deal with extremist groups, such as the Al-Aqsa Martyrs⁷ Brigade, Islamic Jihad, and the largest group, Hamas, also known as the Islamic Resistance Movement.  All three are on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations.

 

Experts say Hamas' aim is clear, the destruction of Israel.  And, they say, the group will continue to use violence, including terrorist attacks on civilians⁸, to achieve that goal.

 

The Israeli government has called for Mr. Abbas to crack down on terrorist groups.  Shortly after becoming president, Mr. Abbas was successful in getting Hamas to agree to a cease-fire that has held, with minor⁹ infractions.

 

However Seth Jones, Middle East expert with Rand Corporation, says it is unrealistic to believe that, under present conditions, Hamas and other groups will renounce¹¹ violence altogether, despite the positive step of Israel's recent withdrawal¹² from Gaza after 38 years of occupation.

 

Seth Jones: But, as long as there are still issues to resolve over a Palestinian state - issues related to settlements, territory, the status of Jerusalem, refugees - there will continue to be violence. And, in fact, for some members of Hamas and other groups, like Islamic Jihad, I suspect, that, as long as Israel continues to exist as a state, and it will, there will be violence by these individuals.  So, somehow, the idea that Abbas will be able to eliminate the use of violence by these groups, like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, is naïve.  The issue is whether he can limit the use of violence, because Hamas and groups like Islamic Jihad are not going to give up violence willingly.

 

But experts say Hamas is not just a militant organization bent¹³ on Israel's destruction. 

 

Meyrav Wurmser, expert on the Middle East with the Hudson Institute, says Hamas is part and parcel of the social fabric¹⁴ of Palestinian society.

 

Meyrav Wurmser: Hamas holds and maintains a tremendous amount of charitable operations, from kindergartens to soup kitchens, to anything else you could imagine, in terms of community services. It plays a tremendous role in what has really become an area of great vacuum in Palestinian society.  People need it. It’s free. If you need to send your child to kindergarten, where he is going to get a warm meal, then you are going to send him to Hamas' kindergarten.  It is unfortunate, but it is a reality.

 

One of the major problems facing Mahmoud Abbas is corruption within the ruling Palestinian Authority.

 

Seth Jones of the Rand Corporation says the issue of corruption plays into the hands of Hamas.

 

Seth Jones: Corruption works positively¹⁵ in Hamas' favor, because when the Palestinian Authority, in particular in Gaza, is viewed as corrupt², that means Hamas in general, the support for Hamas strengthens, because Hamas is then viewed as an organization that is much better and much less corrupt. When Israel conducts strikes or assassination¹⁶ operations in the West bank and Gaza, that tends to weaken the Palestinian Authority at the expense of Hamas.  If you look at public-opinion polls, which are really an important indicator¹⁷ of where Hamas stands, we see that, over the last couple of months, support for Hamas, in particular in Gaza, has crept up to about 36 percent.  And where does it stand for the Palestinian Authority?  About 40 percent.

 

Mr. Jones says the parliamentary elections in the West Bank and Gaza, scheduled for January, will be a real test of Hamas' political strength.

 

A leading expert on Palestinian politics, Nathan Brown, with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says the key is whether Hamas ultimately will be able to forsake¹⁸ violence for the political process.

 

Nathan Brown: From an outside perspective, these people are spoilers, and they are the ones who have never accepted the abandonment of violence as a tool. [For] Palestinians, even Palestinians who are opposed to Hamas, this is a valid¹⁹ political party, like all other political parties.  And, Abbas is trying to treat them that way.  And by treating them that way, in a sense, almost turn them into a regular political party.  It is a little bit of an attempt to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.  And there has been, again, some limited progress - with the cease-fire, with getting Hamas to run for local elections, to get them to talk about running for parliamentary elections, which should be held in January.  But it is still not quite clear whether Hamas has made that mental leap to only being a political party alongside others.

 

Many experts say there must be more progress on the overall peace process, in order for Mr. Abbas to be successful in getting militant groups to lay down their weapons for good, and join the political process.  If there is no movement, analysts say, this will simply embolden²⁰ those groups to continue their violent attacks, and make the search for peace even more difficult.

 

Andre de Nesnera, VOA news.

 

注释：

apparatus [7ApE5reitEs] n. 器械，设备

infraction¹⁰ [in5frAkFEn] n. 违反，侵害

renounce [ri5nauns] v. 断绝关系

fabric [5fAbrik] n. 结构，构造

vacuum [5vAkjuEm] n. 真空，空间

indicator [5indikeitE] n. 指示器

forsake [fE5seik] vt. 放弃，抛弃

prophecy [5prCfisi] n. 预言，预言能力

embolden [im5bEuldEn] vt. 使大胆，使有胆量，使勇敢

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 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

5 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 martyrs   

n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情）

参考例句：

• the early Christian martyrs 早期基督教殉道者
• They paid their respects to the revolutionary martyrs. 他们向革命烈士致哀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 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。

9 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

10 infraction   

n.违反；违法

参考例句：

• He was criticized for his infraction of the discipline.他因违反纪律而受到了批评。
• Parking at the bus stop is illegal,Motorists committing this infraction are heavily fined.在公交站停车是违法的，触犯此条的司机将受重罚。

11 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

12 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

13 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

14 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

15 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

16 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

17 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

18 forsake   

vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃

参考例句：

• She pleaded with her husband not to forsake her.她恳求丈夫不要抛弃她。
• You must forsake your bad habits.你必须革除你的坏习惯。

19 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

20 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。