Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Stop the war: On the U.N. Security Council’s call for a Gaza ceasefire

Stop the war: On the U.N. Security Council’s call for a Gaza ceasefire

Israel must heed (ध्यान देना) the UNSC resolution for a ceasefire (संघर्ष विराम)

Five and half months after Israel’s assault (हमला) on Gaza began, in which 32,000 Palestinians have been killed, another 74,000 injured, more than 90% of the enclave’s (area, region (enclosed within)) population displaced (विस्थापित करना) and nearly (लगभग) all of them pushed into a devastating (catastrophic, ruinous, disastrous, costly, damaging, woeful, awful, terrible) hunger (भूख) crisis, the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), on March 25, called for “an immediate ceasefire” and release of all hostages (बंधक) held by Hamas (Hamas is an Islamist militant group based in Gaza). The United States, which has vetoed (reject, dismiss, deny, turn down, say no to, rule out, quash) every U.N. resolution earlier that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, abstained (not vote, decline to vote, refuse to vote (for/against a resolution)) this time, signalling (संकेत करना, इंगित करना) a change in the Biden administration’s (प्रशासन) policy towards the war. All other members of the UNSC, including Britain, which until recently had resisted calls to back (support, defend, endorse, approve of, uphold) a ceasefire, voted for the resolution. Israel responded angrily, cancelling a planned visit of two of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s close cabinet aides (सहयोगी) to Washington, and, backed by China and Russia, blasting (नष्ट करना) the resolution, for not conditioning (स्थिति) a ceasefire on the release of hostages. But beneath (underneath, below, under) the anger and outburst (explosion, eruption, attack, outbreak, flare-up, epidemic (of a particular undesirable situation/occurrence)) lies Israel’s weakness. Israeli leaders have repeatedly (अक्सर, बार बार) said in recent weeks that an invasion (occupation, conquering, capture, seizure, annexation, annexing, takeover) of Rafah, the southernmost town where some 1.4 million Palestinians have been cramped (restrict, confine, constrict, restrain, control; block, hinder, impede, inhibit) into, was in the offing (likely to happen, on the way, coming soon, coming up, close at hand, imminent, on the horizon, in the wings, just around the corner, upcoming, forthcoming). It would be highly inappropriate (अनुचित, अनुपयुक्त), after 14 members of the UNSC called for an immediate ceasefire, for Israel to launch an attack on Rafah, which could end up (finish up, turn up, come/appear, find oneself (to a particular course of action in the end)) in another bloodbath (हत्याकाण्ड, खून-खराबे).

The latest war was triggered (cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate) by Hamas’s October 7 cross-border (across a border between two states/countries) attack where at least 1,200 Israelis were killed. Israel had the sympathies (support, solace, comfort, compassion, consolation) and solidarity (unity, unanimity, harmony, cohesion, cooperation) of the world on that day. But what Israel did in subsequent (consequent, following, ensuing, succeeding, successive, later) months was to punish the entire population of Gaza for what Hamas did, which turned international public opinion against it. If Israel makes an objective (factual, actual, real, genuine, verifiable, demonstrable, provable, empirical, reasonable) assessment of the situation, it should immediately abide by (follow, obey, stand by, stick to, comply with, conform to) the UNSC resolution and declare a ceasefire. The October 7 attack itself was a massive intelligence ((military/political) information, facts, details, particulars) and security failure for which Mr. Netanyahu should take responsibility. Instead of doing that, he went to war with full force, without proper achievable targets. After months-long fighting, Israel has turned much of Gaza into rubble (remains, ruins, wreckage; debris), but has neither destroyed Hamas nor rescued (save (from danger or difficulty)) hostages. The prolonged (lengthy, extended, continued, persistent, everlasting, protracted, unending, unrelenting) war has created fissures (a state of incompatibility; disagreement, chasm, rift, fracture) within the Netanyahu cabinet. The Prime Minister is immensely (extremely, seriously) unpopular and his coalition (alliance, union, partnership, bloc, association) partners are at war with one another. The war has also increased Israel’s isolation (separation, aloneness, loneliness, friendlessness), with tensions (strained relations, strain, unease) rising in its ties (association, relationship, bond, connection) even with its close partners, including the U.S. If Israel continues the war with no clear end in sight (noticeable, visible, in view; near at hand), it will only worsen the domestic and international challenges it is facing, besides (apart from, other than, barring, excluding) killing more Palestinians in the defenceless (vulnerable, helpless, powerless, unprotected, undefended, weak), battered (damaged, spoiled, impaired/ruined), besieged (surrounded, encircled, blockaded, under attack), bombed-out (destroyed, severely damaged abandoned, tattered, broken-down, miserable) Gaza. Mr. Netanyahu faces two choices. He can take the message from the UNSC seriously, stop the war, allow urgent humanitarian (compassionate, humane, generous, human-centered, socially concerned) assistance into Gaza and continue talks (dialogue, discussion, deliberation, consultation, parley, negotiation) with Hamas through international mediators (arbitrator, conciliator, go-between, negotiator, peacemaker) for both the release of all hostages and the withdrawal (departure, pull-out, retreat, disengagement) of his troops from the enclave. Or, he can continue to lead his country in the dark ((in a state/condition) unaware of, ignorant of, in ignorance of, uninformed about) in a state of permanent war.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.ceasefire (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष विराम
English Meaning - a temporary stoppage of a war, truce, armistice.

2.heed (verb)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान देना
English Meaning - pay attention to, take notice of, take into account, listen to, bear in mind, consider.

3.assault (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हमला
English Meaning - attack, strike, bombing.

4.displace (verb)

Hindi Meaning - विस्थापित करना
English Meaning - force someone to leave his/her home, usually due to war, persecution, or natural disaster; banish, exile, deport, evict, expel, oust.

5.nearly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - लगभग
English Meaning - almost, about, more or less.

6.hunger (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भूख
English Meaning - the distress associated with lack of food. A famine is defined as the most severe kind of hunger crisis. it means that there is an extreme shortage of food and several children and adults within a certain area are dying of hunger on a daily basis.

7.hostage (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बंधक
English Meaning - a person captured or held as security for the fulfilment of certain conditions/terms.

8.bloodbath (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हत्याकाण्ड, खून-खराबे
English Meaning - destruction.

9.signal (verb)

Hindi Meaning - संकेत करना, इंगित करना
English Meaning - indicate, denote, point to, suggest, signify.

10.administration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशासन
English Meaning - government.

11.aide (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सहयोगी
English Meaning - companion, confidante, right-hand man.

12.blast (verb)

Hindi Meaning - नष्ट करना
English Meaning - criticize, rebuke, castigate, reprove, reprimand, rail at.

13.condition (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्थिति
English Meaning - set earlier requirements/demands on something.

14.repeatedly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - अक्सर, बार बार
English Meaning - frequently, again and again, invariably, constantly, regularly, consistently.

15.inappropriate (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनुचित, अनुपयुक्त
English Meaning - improper, wrong, ill-timed, untimely, ill-considered, undesirable, unfortunate.

16.UN Security Council (UNSC) (noun)

English Meaning - it is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with ensuring international peace and security.

17.call (for) (noun)

English Meaning - appeal, request, plea, demand, reason, need, requirement.

18.Gaza (noun)

English Meaning - a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is a self-governing Palestinian territory surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt.

19.UN resolution (noun)

English Meaning - United Nations resolution is formal expression of the opinion or will of United Nations organs. It is a decision or declaration voted on by all member states of the United Nations and it usually requires a simple majority (50 percent of all votes plus one) to pass.. Although any UN body can issue resolutions, in practice most resolutions are issued by the Security Council or the General Assembly.

20.enclave (noun)

English Meaning - area, region (enclosed within).

21.devastating (adjective)

English Meaning - catastrophic, ruinous, disastrous, costly, damaging, woeful, awful, terrible.

22.held past tense of hold (verb)

English Meaning - keep, take, detain, confine.

23.hold hostage (phrase)

English Meaning - to capture and keep (someone) as a hostage.

24.Hamas (noun)

English Meaning - Hamas is an Islamist militant group based in Gaza.

25.veto (verb)

English Meaning - reject, dismiss, deny, turn down, say no to, rule out, quash.

26.call for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - require, need, necessitate, make necessary, demand, publicly ask for.

27.abstain (verb)

English Meaning - not vote, decline to vote, refuse to vote (for/against a resolution).

28.back (verb)

English Meaning - support, defend, endorse, approve of, uphold.

29.beneath (adverb)

English Meaning - underneath, below, under.

30.outburst (noun)

English Meaning - explosion, eruption, attack, outbreak, flare-up, epidemic (of a particular undesirable situation/occurrence).

31.invasion (noun)

English Meaning - occupation, conquering, capture, seizure, annexation, annexing, takeover.

32.cramp (verb)

English Meaning - restrict, confine, constrict, restrain, control; block, hinder, impede, inhibit.

33.in the offing (noun)

English Meaning - likely to happen, on the way, coming soon, coming up, close at hand, imminent, on the horizon, in the wings, just around the corner, upcoming, forthcoming.

34.end up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - finish up, turn up, come/appear, find oneself (to a particular course of action in the end).

35.in the dark (phrase)

English Meaning - (in a state/condition) unaware of, ignorant of, in ignorance of, uninformed about.

36.trigger (verb)

English Meaning - cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate.

37.cross-border (adjective)

English Meaning - across a border between two states/countries.

38.sympathy (noun)

English Meaning - support, solace, comfort, compassion, consolation.

39.solidarity (noun)

English Meaning - unity, unanimity, harmony, cohesion, cooperation.

40.subsequent (adjective)

English Meaning - consequent, following, ensuing, succeeding, successive, later.

41.objective (adjective)

English Meaning - factual, actual, real, genuine, verifiable, demonstrable, provable, empirical, reasonable.

42.abide by (verb)

English Meaning - follow, obey, stand by, stick to, comply with, conform to.

43.intelligence (noun)

English Meaning - (military/political) information, facts, details, particulars.

44.rubble (noun)

English Meaning - remains, ruins, wreckage; debris.

45.rescue (verb)

English Meaning - save (from danger or difficulty).

46.prolonged (adjective)

English Meaning - lengthy, extended, continued, persistent, everlasting, protracted, unending, unrelenting.

47.fissure (noun)

English Meaning - a state of incompatibility; disagreement, chasm, rift, fracture.

48.immensely (adverb)

English Meaning - extremely, seriously.

49.coalition (noun)

English Meaning - alliance, union, partnership, bloc, association.

50.be at war with (phrase)

English Meaning - fight with, argue with, dispute with, disagree with.

51.isolation (noun)

English Meaning - separation, aloneness, loneliness, friendlessness.

52.tensions (noun)

English Meaning - strained relations, strain, unease.

53.ties (noun)

English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.

54.in sight (phrase)

English Meaning - noticeable, visible, in view; near at hand.

55.besides (preposition)

English Meaning - apart from, other than, barring, excluding.

56.defenceless (adjective)

English Meaning - vulnerable, helpless, powerless, unprotected, undefended, weak.

57.battered (adjective)

English Meaning - damaged, spoiled, impaired/ruined.

58.besieged (adjective)

English Meaning - surrounded, encircled, blockaded, under attack.

59.bombed-out (adjective)

English Meaning - destroyed, severely damaged abandoned, tattered, broken-down, miserable.

60.humanitarian (adjective)

English Meaning - compassionate, humane, generous, human-centered, socially concerned.

61.aid (noun)

English Meaning - assistance, support, help, backing.

62.humanitarian aid (noun)

English Meaning - material and logistic assistance that’s used to relieve suffering during emergency situations.

63.talks (noun)

English Meaning - dialogue, discussion, deliberation, consultation, parley, negotiation.

64.mediator (noun)

English Meaning - arbitrator, conciliator, go-between, negotiator, peacemaker.

65.withdrawal (noun)

English Meaning - departure, pull-out, retreat, disengagement.