VOA标准英语2014--巴勒斯坦渔民面临边界问题

 

Palestinian Fishermen Face Borders, Bullets 巴勒斯坦渔民面临边界问题

GAZA— 

Under the Oslo accords of the 1990s, Palestinian fishermen are supposed to be able to fish 37 kilometers (20 nautical¹ miles) off the coast of Gaza, but  Israel has tightened² that limit to within 11 kilometers (six nautical miles) of the coast due to its security concerns.  Israel’s blockade is affecting the already weak economy in the Palestinian coastal³ enclave.

At dawn, the sound of bullets being fired drifts over the water in Gaza, a sound Palestinian fishermen know all too well.

Israel controls these waters. Since 2007, when the militant⁴ Islamist group Hamas took control of Gaza, Israel has tightened its blockade. During this summer’s war, fishing was restricted to about three-and-a-half kilometers (two nautical miles) off the coast.

As part of the latest cease-fire deal, Israel is to allow fishermen to travel about 11 kilometers from shore.

But fishermen like Mohammed al Nijar say they often were shot at or harassed⁵ several kilometers before that mark.

“They fire at us at night, with different caliber⁶ weapons, and they even throw dirty water at us and they demand that we take off our clothes, and they push us into the cold water and they use the worst kinds of insults,” he said.

Although for now the extension has allowed fishermen to increase their catch, the official zone will soon get fished out.

Fish market seller Abdel Kareem said the extension was just not enough.

“We are not asking for the impossible, we are just asking for our rights.  All we need is to extend our fishing area to 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles).  That would enable the poor to buy fish at a reasonable price,” he said.

The decision to limit how far Palestinians can go is based on security needs, says Yosef Kuperwasser, director general of the Israeli Ministry⁷ of Strategic Affairs.

“Hamas and other elements in Gaza look at the sea as one avenue through which they can either smuggle⁸ arms or carry out terrorist operations against Israel,” he said.

Palestinian fishermen live in poverty. Even if they could afford it, material needed to improve their boats, nets and markets have to come through the Israeli blockade.

The crisis in the fishing industry is the result of a wider pattern of crippling restrictions⁹ that Israel has imposed in Gaza, said U.N. official Christopher Gunness.

“What we’re seeing is the destruction of the fishing industry, but that’s part of a wider destruction which frankly¹⁰ affects every single sector¹¹ of the economy of Gaza,” he said.

Life for the roughly 1.8 million people in Gaza likely will not improve until Israel lifts its seven-year blockade, and Israel and Hamas put an end to the repeated conflicts that have crushed the civilian¹² population.

1 nautical   

adj.海上的，航海的，船员的

参考例句：

• A nautical mile is 1,852 meters.一海里等于1852米。
• It is 206 nautical miles from our present location.距离我们现在的位置有206海里。

2 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 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。

5 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

6 caliber   

n.能力；水准

参考例句：

• They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。
• We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。

7 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。

8 smuggle   

vt.私运；vi.走私

参考例句：

• Friends managed to smuggle him secretly out of the country.朋友们想方设法将他秘密送出国了。
• She has managed to smuggle out the antiques without getting caught.她成功将古董走私出境，没有被逮捕。

9 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

10 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

11 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

12 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。