2006年VOA标准英语-Israel Approves Palestinian Vote in Arab E

（单词翻译）

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
15 January 2006

Acting¹ Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert chairs an emergency cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Jan. 5, 2006  
  
Israel will allow Palestinian voting in East Jerusalem, resolving a dispute that had put elections in doubt. A powerful Islamic militant² group has been banned from the campaign.

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Israel's Cabinet unanimously approved Arab voting in disputed East Jerusalem, clearing the way for Palestinian parliamentary elections on January 25.

Israel sees all of Jerusalem as its capital, and it had threatened to prevent Palestinians in the city from voting. But the Palestinian Authority warned it would postpone³ the election, if voting rights were not granted.

The U.S. sees the election as an important step toward Palestinian democracy and statehood, so it pressured Israel to soften⁴ its position.

Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Cabinet that voting will be allowed on one condition. "Israel will not allow the Islamic militant group Hamas to participate in the Jerusalem vote," Olmert said.

Hamas has carried out dozens of deadly suicide bombings, and Israel says it is a terrorist organization. Israeli hawks⁵ are angry over the Cabinet decision.

 
A Palestinian boy holds Hamas flag as a convoy⁶ of cars waving the Islamist group's flags and electoral campaign posters drives through the West Bank city of Hebron, Sunday Jan. 15, 2006 
  
Parliamentarian Yuri Stern says it strengthens Palestinian claims to Jerusalem. "It's a terrible decision, a wrong one, and it clearly shows that this government is accepting the division of the city," he said.

Palestinian officials welcomed the decision to allow the vote, but they condemned⁷ the exclusion⁸ of Hamas.

"Palestinian legislative⁹ elections on the 25th of January 2006 must take place, without any interference from Israel or anybody else," Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told VOA.

Hamas is expected to make a strong showing in the elections, because many Palestinians are fed up with the government of President Mahmoud Abbas, which is widely seen as corrupt¹⁰ and ineffective. But Hamas seeks the destruction of Israel. Israeli officials have warned that, if Hamas joins a Palestinian government, it would doom¹¹ the peace process.