VOA标准英语2010年-Israel's Defense Minister Receives Dea

（单词翻译）

Ehud Barak said to have received dozens of threats from Jewish militants² who oppose partial freeze on West Bank settlement construction

Robert Berger | Jerusalem 06 January 2010

Israel's Defense³ Minister Ehud Barak speaking after a meeting with his Austrian counterpart in Vienna, 14 Dec 2009

An Israeli concession⁴ on Jewish settlements has prompted death threats against a senior official.

Security has been tightened⁵ around Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak after he received dozens of death threats. Security sources say the threats were made by Jewish militants who oppose the government's partial freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank. The freeze was imposed in November under pressure from the United States, which sees the settlements as an obstacle to peace.

The death threats are being taken seriously. In 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated⁷ by an Orthodox Jew opposed to his policy of trading land for peace with the Palestinians.

Parliamentarian Yisrael Hasson is a former deputy head of the Shin Bet security service.

Hasson told Israel Radio that the threats are reminiscent of the atmosphere of incitement⁸ that led to the Rabin assassination⁹.

It is a charged issue. Many of the settlers are religious Jews who believe that settling all the biblical Land of Israel is a commandment from God. But settlement leader and Rabbi Yoel Bin⁶ Nun¹⁰ says sending death threats is heresy¹¹.

The rabbi said, "A person who writes such things is not religious, not a believer, does not fear God, and does not serve the interests of the Bible and the Land of Israel."

On the other hand, Itamar Ben Gvir, known to be among the most militant¹ settlers, played down the threats.

Ben Gvir told Israel Radio it is "cheap spin" by Defense Minister Barak. He accused Barak, who heads the left-wing Labor¹² Party, of incitement against the settlers and the Israeli right.

But security sources say there are about two dozen Jewish extremists who would be willing to attack senior Israeli officials. They warn that threats could turn to deeds if Israel decides to dismantle¹³ settlements under a peace agreement with the Palestinians.