VOA标准英语2008年-Hamas Militants Criticize Bush Visit

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
11 January 2008

One of the leaders of the Islamist Hamas movement on Friday said President Bush's visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories would only end up hurting Palestinians. VOA's Jim Teeple reports Palestinians who support the peace process say the time has come for hard negotiating with Israel.

Hamas militants¹ and their supporters in the Gaza Strip staged noisy demonstrations² over the past few days as President Bush held talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials, trying to "nudge" them forward towards a peace deal by the end of his presidency³.

Hamas rejects any such peace deal and refuses to recognize Israel. The group is considered a terrorist organization by the international community.

Speaking after Friday prayers in Gaza City, Hamas leader Ismail said President Bush's visit was meant to reinforce Palestinian divisions.

Haniyeh says Mr. Bush's visit is sowing the seeds for an internal Palestinian war, and he called U.S. policy in the region a failure.

Hamas seized power in Gaza in a violent takeover last June, ousting⁴ Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Since then the Palestinian territories have been divided, with Hamas in control of Gaza and Fatah in control in the West Bank. President Abbas has appointed a caretaker government in the West Bank that has received widespread recognition, and he resumed peace negotiations⁵ with Israel.

One of Mr. Abbas' senior negotiators in talks with the Israelis is Saeb Erekat. He says on balance Palestinians who support the peace process welcomed Mr. Bush's visit, but now it is up to Israelis and Palestinians to advance the process.

"There are things he said we agree with, there are things he said we disagree with. Now, as far as decisions required, for the issues of Jerusalem, borders, settlements, refugees, water, security and prisoners, these decisions must be done and made by Palestinians and Israelis, nobody else," said Erekat.

During his visit to the area, President Bush called on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian lands but he also said one of the biggest obstacles to peace is in Gaza, and that Palestinians must be able to show Israel they can control security in their areas.

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 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 ousting   

驱逐( oust的现在分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• The resulting financial chaos led to the ousting of Bristol-Myers' s boss. 随后引发的财政混乱导致了百时美施贵宝的总裁下台。
• The ousting of the president has drawn widespread criticism across Latin America and the wider world. 洪都拉斯总统被驱逐时间引起拉丁美洲甚至全世界的广泛批评。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。