VOA标准英语2011--Palestinian Prisoner Tastes Freedom After 33 Years

Palestinian Prisoner Tastes Freedom After 33 Years

 

The 477 Palestinian prisoners who were released Tuesday in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit are enjoying families and freedom after years of confinement¹. One of the longest serving prisoners was Nael Barghouti of the West Bank, who spent 33 years in jail for a fatal attack on an Israeli soldier.

Nael Barghouti greeted friends and family he has not seen in 33 years. Some, he has never seen before. Others, like his parents, were not here. They died while he was in jail.

Kobar's 5,000 residents are close-knit. Most have a relative in an Israeli prison. The mood is festive², but Barghouti said he is not celebrating.

“I do not feel completely free because complete freedom means releasing the other people inside the prisons. It means an end to [Israeli] restrictions³ on the West Bank and Gaza. Until now this has not happened,” said Barghouti.

Barghouti is a member of Hamas, which traded Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. The release included prisoners from rival groups, such as Fatah. This has raised hopes of a Palestinian reconciliation⁴, as Hamas and Fatah have been feuding⁵ over the future course the Palestinians should take.

Freed Palestinian prisoner Nael Barghouti (L), who served 33 years in an Israeli jail, more time than any other Palestinian released in a trade for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, greets a child along with Fakhri Barghouti (C), who also was released, at Cooper village near the West Bank city of Ramallah, October 19, 2011.

Many hope the prisoner exchange also will boost the stalled Middle East peace talks. Barghouti does not think so.

“I think the confrontation⁶ will change if the other side changes. We have not seen the other side change,” said Barghouti.

Many fear some freed militants⁷ will resume their attacks. Others say this will not happen. Barghouti said only that he does not plan to jump into any ventures in the near future.

1 confinement   

n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限

参考例句：

• He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
• The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

2 festive   

adj.欢宴的，节日的

参考例句：

• It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
• We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

5 feuding   

vi.长期不和（feud的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Riccardo and Cafiero had been feuding so openly that the whole town knew about it. 里卡多和卡菲埃罗一直公开地闹别扭，全城的人都知道此事。 来自辞典例句
• The two families have been feuding with each other for many generations. 这两个家族有好多代的世仇了。 来自互联网

6 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

7 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。