the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine
other Israeli soldiers missing in action.
the United States of America in Congress assembled,-
| H.R. 1175 |
|
| AT THE FIRST SESSION |
| Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine |
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| To locate and secure the return of Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen, and other Israeli soldiers missing in action. |
| Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatiues of the United States of America in Congress assembled,- |
| SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. |
| The Congress finds that- (1) Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen serving in the Israeli military forces, has been missing in action since June 1982 when he was captured by forces affiliated with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) following a tank battle with Syrian forces at Sultan Ya'akub in Lebanon; (2) Yehuda Katz and Zvi Feldman, Israeli citizens serving in the Israeli military forces, have been missing in action since June 1982 when they were also captured by these same forces in a tank battle with Syrian forces at Sultan Ya'akub in Leb- anon; (3)these three soldiers were last known to be in the hands of a Palestinian faction splintered from the PLO and operating in Syrian-controlled territory, thus making this a matter within the responsibility of the Government of Syria; (4) diplomatic efforts to secure the release of these individ- uals have been unsuccessful, although PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat delivered one-half of Zachary Baumel's dog tag to Israeli Government authorities; and (5) in the Gaza-Jericho agreement between the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel of May 4, 1994, Pales- tinian officials agreed to cooperate with Israel in locating and working for the return of Israeli soldiers missing in action. |
| SEC. 2. ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO MISSING SOLDIERS. |
| (a) CONTINUING COMMUNICATION WITH CERTAIN GOVERN- MENTS.-The Secretary of State shall continue to raise the matter of Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz, and Zvi Feldman on an urgent basis with appropriate government officials of Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, and with other governments in the region and elsewhere that, in the determination of the Secretary, may be helpful in locating and securing the return of these soldiers. (b) PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN GOVERNMENTS.- In deciding whether or not to provide United States assistance to any government or authority which the Secretary of State believes has information concerning the whereabouts of the soldiers described in subsection (a), and in formulating United States policy towards such government or authority, the President should take into consideration the willingness of the government or authority to assist in locating and securing the return of such soldiers. |
| SEC. 3. REPORTS BY SECRETARY OF STATE. |
| (a) INITIAL REPORT.-Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall prepare and submit to the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a written report that describes the efforts of the Secretary pursuant to section 2(a) and United States policies affected pursuant to section 2(b). (b) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS.-Not later than 15 days after receiving from any source any additional credible information relating to the individuals described in section 2(a), the Secretary of State shall prepare and submit to the committees described in subsection (a) a written report that contains such additional information. (c) FORM OF REPORTS.-A report submitted under subsection (a) or (b) shall be made available to the public and may include a classified annex. |
| Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate. |