2006年VOA标准英语-Hamas Denies Jordan Claim of Weapons Smugg

By Sonja Pace
Jerusalem
19 April 2006

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri 
  
Hamas officials are denying allegations that their militants¹ have smuggled² weapons into Jordan. The surprise charges have prompted Jordan to cancel a visit by the Palestinian foreign minister.

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Hamas officials deny Jordanian allegations that Hamas members have smuggled weapons into the Kingdom.

Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said his group has no intention of interfering³ in other countries, insisting that its only battle is against Israeli occupation.

Jordanian officials say they seized a cache of missiles, explosives and automatic weapons smuggled into their country by Hamas militants. Jordan subsequently canceled a visit to the country by Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar.

Hamas officials have denounced that decision and the Director-General of the Hamas-led Palestinian government, Mohammed Awad says it comes as a total surprise.

Speaking on Palestinian radio, Awad said the government is shocked by the Jordanian allegations and decision to cancel the visit. He said the government wants good relations with all Arab countries, especially neighboring Jordan and Egypt. He called for backing away from heated rhetoric⁴ and for calming down.

Jordan is one of two Arab nations to have signed a peace treaty with Israel. The kingdom keeps a wary⁵ eye on its own Islamic groups as well as on any potential influence from Islamists outside.

The Jordanian allegations and Amman's decision to cancel the Zahar visit comes as yet another blow to an increasingly isolated⁶ Hamas-led government that is facing financial collapse⁷ and growing internal unrest, as well as external pressure.

Israel, the United States and the European Union have labeled Hamas a terrorist organization and have cut off direct aid until it renounces⁸ violence and recognizes Israel. Israel has halted the transfer of tax and customs duties it collects on behalf of the Palestinians.

Hamas has refused to meet those demands and, although some Hamas officials continue to hint at a readiness for compromise, the organization's defense⁹ of Monday's suicide bomb attack in Tel Aviv has brought it only more harsh criticism.

1 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。

2 smuggled   

水货

参考例句：

• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Those smuggled goods have been detained by the port office. 那些走私货物被港务局扣押了。 来自互联网

3 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

4 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

5 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

6 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

7 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

8 renounces   

v.声明放弃( renounce的第三人称单数 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores. 日本放弃对福尔摩沙（台湾）及澎湖的一切权利，主张（名称）及所有权。 来自互联网
• He renounces Christianity, temporarily straining his relationship with his parents. 他放弃了基督教信仰，从而与父母的关系暂时变得紧张。 来自互联网

9 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。