VOA常速英语2007-Israel Releases Dozens of Palestinian Prisoners

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
01 October 2007

give a boost to the peace process. But as Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, there is mixed reaction among Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel released the prisoners Monday as a goodwill¹ gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. All the prisoners are from Mr. Abbas's Fatah faction².

The aim is to strengthen the Palestinian president, after Fatah was routed by the Islamic militant³ group Hamas in the Gaza Strip three months ago. Mr. Abbas now heads an internationally-backed government in the West Bank.

It was the second prisoner release since July 20, when Israel freed 250 men from Fatah.

The prisoner issue touches deep emotions on both sides. Israeli Terror Victims Association leader Meir Indor says freeing Palestinian prisoners is an obstruction⁴ of justice and reward for terrorism.

"Israel is the number-one country in the world that [is] releasing terrorists so easily," he said. "So what is the lesson of the terrorists? That when it is coming to terrorism against Jews, you will be released very soon."

The Palestinian Authority welcomed the prisoner release. Hussein al-Sheikh is a senior Fatah official in the West Bank. He told Israel Radio that it is a very important step that will increase support for the peace process on the Palestinians street. But al-Sheikh said it is not enough.

He said there are 11,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, and they all should go free.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Abbas are to meet Wednesday in Jerusalem. They are trying to draft a document on Palestinian statehood to be presented at an international peace conference in the United States planned for November.

1 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

2 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

3 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。

4 obstruction   

n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物

参考例句：

• She was charged with obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty.她被指控妨碍警察执行任务。
• The road was cleared from obstruction.那条路已被清除了障碍。