VOA标准英语2009年-Israel Says No to Cease-Fire, Vows to Press Off

Israel has rejected international pressure for an immediate¹, even if temporary, cease-fire five days into its offensive against Hamas militants³ and infrastructure⁴ in the Gaza Strip. Despite massive damage and a toll⁵ of nearly 400 Palestinians killed, Hamas also remains⁶ defiant⁷, continuing to fire rockets ever deeper into Israel.
　

Smoke rises from an explosion after an Israeli missile strike on a Hamas security building in Gaza City, 31 Dec. 2008

After meeting Wednesday afternoon, Israeli cabinet ministers decided⁸ against a French proposal for a 48-hour cease-fire to allow humanitarian⁹ aid to reach Gaza.

Deputy Foreign Ministry¹⁰ spokesman Yariv Ovadia tells VOA, the ministers studied several informal proposals and decided there was no one to talk to on the other side.

"We haven't heard anything from Hamas," Ovadia said. "On the contrary, what we've heard from Hamas was that they're going to keep firing missiles on Israeli cities and trying to kill Israeli civilians¹¹. Hamas started this atrocity¹² and doesn't want to end it."

Israel has said it would allow a further 2,000 tons of food and medical supplies into Gaza. It has also given authorization¹³ for several dozen ill and wounded Gazans to seek medical treatment in Israel.

But for now, despite growing international pressure for a cease-fire, Israeli officials say they will press their offensive and they insist any cease-fire must ensure that militant² rocket attacks against Israel stop.
　

Israeli tanks positioned near the border with Gaza, 30 Dec 2008

Israeli war planes carried out further bombing runs in Gaza Wednesday, hitting Hamas government offices and underground tunnels on the Gaza-Egypt border. And, Israel continues to amass¹⁴ ground troops around Gaza in preparation for a possible ground offensive.

But, despite massive damages and rising casualties, Hamas too is maintaining a tough line.

In parts of Israel the sound of sirens has become a daily occurrence - the warning sounds of incoming Hamas rockets, striking ever deeper into Israel, including Beersheba in the Negev, over 40 kilometers southeast of Gaza.

And, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum makes it clear the group is not begging for a truce¹⁵.

Barhoum said what's needed immediately is for the Arab and Islamic countries to unite and stop this aggression¹⁶, lift the siege, open the crossings and rebuild Gaza.

The militants have kept up their rocket attacks, hitting ever deeper into Israel. Rockets have hit not only town near Gaza, such as Sderot and Ashkelon, but also Ashdod to the north of Gaza and Beersheba to the southeast.
　

Saudi Arabian FM Saud Al-Faisal (R), and Arab League Secretary- General Amr Moussa (L) in Cairo, 31 Dec 2008

As the violence continues, so do diplomatic efforts to stop it. Arab League foreign ministers met in Cairo to discuss the crisis. Turkey's Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on a foray to Syria and Jordan Wednesday and is also due to visit Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is expected to hold talks in Paris Thursday and French President Nicolas Sarkozy may visit Israel early next week.

　

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

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 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。

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 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。

8 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。

9 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。

10 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。

11 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。

12 atrocity   

n.残暴，暴行

参考例句：

• These people are guilty of acts of great atrocity.这些人犯有令人发指的暴行。
• I am shocked by the atrocity of this man's crimes.这个人行凶手段残忍狠毒使我震惊。

13 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

14 amass   

vt.积累，积聚

参考例句：

• How had he amassed his fortune?他是如何积累财富的呢？
• The capitalists amass great wealth by exploiting workers.资本家剥削工人而积累了巨额财富。

15 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

16 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。