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(单词翻译)
By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
12 June 2008
Prospects1 appear to have improved for a Middle East ceasefire. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, truce2 efforts come amid political turmoil3 in Israel.
An Israeli delegation4 is in Cairo to try to finalize5 an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire with the Islamic militant6 group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. Israel sent the delegation after the Security Cabinet backed down from a threat to launch a major military offensive in Gaza in response to daily Palestinian rocket and mortar7 attacks.
Ehud Barak (file) |
Defense8 Minister Ehud Barak said he hopes truce efforts will succeed.
Barak, a former army chief, said he has fought in many wars, so before sending soldiers to battle it is a sacred duty to exhaust every effort for peace.
Israel is reluctant to invade Gaza fearing high casualties among Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians9, and international condemnation10.
Hamas says a ceasefire is not a done deal.
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said the group could not agree to Israel's demand that it release captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as part of the truce agreement unless Israel frees hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Shalit has been held for two years in Gaza, since he was kidnapped in a cross-border raid.
The truce efforts come amid growing pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert who could be toppled by a corruption11 scandal.
Defense Minister Barak said the Labor12 Party, Mr. Olmert's senior coalition13 partner, would support an upcoming bill for early elections if the prime minister does not step down.
It was the second blow to Mr. Olmert in as many days. On Wednesday, his Kadima party began the process for primaries to replace him. Mr. Olmert's political survival is in doubt after an American businessman testified that he gave him envelopes stuffed with cash to support a lavish14 lifestyle.
Opinion polls show that a majority of Israelis believe that the Olmert government is too unstable15 to make any major decisions about war or peace.
1 prospects | |
n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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2 truce | |
n.休战,(争执,烦恼等的)缓和;v.以停战结束 | |
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3 turmoil | |
n.骚乱,混乱,动乱 | |
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4 delegation | |
n.代表团;派遣 | |
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5 finalize | |
v.落实,定下来 | |
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6 militant | |
adj.激进的,好斗的;n.激进分子,斗士 | |
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7 mortar | |
n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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8 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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9 civilians | |
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓 | |
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10 condemnation | |
n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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11 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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12 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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13 coalition | |
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合 | |
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14 lavish | |
adj.无节制的;浪费的;vt.慷慨地给予,挥霍 | |
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15 unstable | |
adj.不稳定的,易变的 | |
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