2006年VOA标准英语-Israel Suspends Money Transfers to the Pal

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
19 February 2006
 

Newly elected Palestinian Parliament speaker Abdul Aziz Duaik briefs the media after meeting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas  
  
Israel is imposing¹ economic sanctions on the Palestinian Authority, a day after the parliament led by the Islamic militant² group Hamas was sworn in.

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Israel's Cabinet decided³ to halt $50-million monthly tax payments to the Palestinian Authority. Acting⁴ Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel will not deal with an organization seeking the destruction of the Jewish state.

"With Hamas in power, the Palestinian Authority has become a regime of terror," Mr. Olmert said, and "Israel will not agree to that."

The Cabinet urged the United States and Europe to follow suit and cut off nearly $1 billion in annual aid to the Palestinian Authority.

At the same time, Israel responded to U.S. appeals and stopped short of more drastic measures, such as an economic blockade of the Gaza Strip. The Cabinet did not accept recommendations by the Defense⁵ Ministry⁶ to bar thousands of Palestinian workers and restrict the flow of goods from Gaza into Israel.

"Israel will do nothing to impede⁷ humanitarian⁸ support for the Palestinian people," said Israeli spokesman Mark Regev.

Hamas described the Israeli sanctions as blackmail⁹ and remained defiant¹⁰ to international demands that it renounce¹¹ violence and recognize Israel.

"We will continue to resist occupation, and sometimes we do not have to care much about what the world is going to say," commented Hamas member Abdel Aziz Duweik, the new speaker of the Palestinian parliament.

Hamas has nominated 43-year-old Ismail Haniyeh to be the next Palestinian prime minister. He is seen as a leader of the group's pragmatic wing and has good relations with the defeated and more moderate Fatah party. Mr. Haniyeh says Hamas will begin talks on forming a new government on Monday.

1 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

2 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。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 impede   

v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止

参考例句：

• One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。
• The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。

8 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。

9 blackmail   

n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓

参考例句：

• She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。
• The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。

10 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

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。