红十字会分发杏树给加沙农民

Red Cross Distributes Almond Trees to Gaza 红十字会分发杏树给加沙农民

WASHINGTON—

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has started distributing thousands of almond tree plants to Palestinian farmers in the Gaza strip whose lands along the border with Israel have been ravaged¹ by successive wars.

The Red Cross began the distribution of trees Wednesday in an effort to help farmers rebuild orchards² destroyed in fighting with Israel.

"We are distributing 4,000 almond trees of five different varieties to a lot of farmers in this area," said Mamadou Sow, head of the ICRC sub-delegation for Gaza.

Fifty years ago, agriculture accounted for more than half of the Palestinian gross domestic product. After decades of fighting, it now represents about 5 percent. Much of the farming land along the border with Israel is inaccessible³ due to constant shelling. But some farmers say they are forced to take the risk.

"We are 700 or 800 meters away from the border with Israel. Army patrols are driving along and we hear gunshots from the security towers. They are shooting during training, so every day we hear gunshots. We cultivate our lands here and we feel like our lives are in danger," said Marwane Abu Mharreb, a Palestinian farmer.

Gaza's main exports are strawberries, flowers, vegetables and fish. The coastal⁴ strip is under an Israeli blockade and allowed only small and irregular shipments of agricultural produce through the Kerem Shalom crossing. When the Palestinian crops are wiped out by explosions and the aftermath of fighting, there is nothing to export and debts accumulate. The Red Cross gift of almond trees is an effort at rebuilding some of the Gaza's agriculture. 

"This is a project that consists of giving almond trees to farmers. Many of them have lost their trees during the last wars," said Sow.

Farmers fear that the new trees may be killed by the Israeli defoliant spray used to wilt⁵ leaves on trees and shrubs⁶ along the border so they cannot be used as cover for the planting of roadside bombs and attacks on Israel.  Palestinian farmers say the spray destroys plants on which their animals feed.  The Red Cross says it has discussed the spraying with the Israeli military.

Gaza's borders are strictly⁷ controlled by Israel and Egypt to prevent the import of arms and military supplies for the strip's Hamas rulers.

1 ravaged   

毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
• The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。

2 orchards   

（通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园，把平地变成了粮仓。
• Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。

3 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

4 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。

5 wilt   

v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱

参考例句：

• Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered.金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。
• Several sleepless nights made him wilt.数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。

6 shrubs   

灌木( shrub的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。
• These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。

7 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。