HCON 417 IH

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the capture of Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen serving in the Israeli Defense Forces, and calling on the Governments of Syria and Lebanon to provide an accounting for, and to secure the release of, Zachary Baumel and all other Israeli hostages held under Lebanese or Syrian control.

JUNE 12, 2002

Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. WEINER, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. BERMAN, and Mrs. MALONEY of New York) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the capture of Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen serving in the Israeli Defense Forces, and calling on the Governments of Syria and Lebanon to provide an accounting for, and to secure the release of, Zachary Baumel and all other Israeli hostages held under Lebanese or Syrian control.

Whereas Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen serving in the Israeli military forces, has been missing in action since June 11, 1982, when he and fellow soldiers Yehuda Katz and Tzvi Feldman were captured by forces affiliated with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) following a tank battle with Syrian forces at Sultan Ya'akub in Lebanon;

Whereas these three soldiers were last known to be in the hands of a Palestinian faction operating in Syrian-occupied territory in Lebanon, thus making this a matter within the responsibility of the Government of Syria;

Whereas in December 1993 PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat delivered one-half of Zachary Baumel's dog tag to Israeli Government authorities;

Whereas Israeli Air Force navigator Ron Arad was captured on October 16, 1986, in Lebanon by Amal, a Lebanese Shiite organization, after ejecting from his damaged aircraft;

Whereas Israel received pictures and letters from Ron Arad before he disappeared in 1988 after falling into the hands of Iranian backed forces in Lebanon;

Whereas Guy Hever, an Israeli soldier, reportedly last seen near the Syria-Israel border, disappeared after leaving his base on August 17, 1997;

Whereas on October 7, 2000, Hizballah units, in clear violation of international law, crossed the Lebanese border into Israel and kidnaped three Israeli soldiers, Adi Avitan, Binyamin Avraham, and Omar Souad;

Whereas on October 15, 2000, Hizballah announced that Israeli civilian Elchanan Tannenbaum, missing after traveling to Belgium, was being held by Hizballah;

Whereas Adi Avitan, Binyamin Avraham, Omar Souad, and Elchanan Tannenbaum are being held by Hizballah in Lebanon;

Whereas the 2001 Department of State `Patterns of Global Terrorism' Report states that Syria provides Hizballah refuge, basing privileges, substantial amounts of financial assistance, training, weapons, explosives, and political, diplomatic, and logistical support;

Whereas the 2001 State Department terrorism report also states that the Lebanese Government condones Hizballah's actions against Israel and has recognized Hizballah as a legal operation and allows Hizballah to maintain offices in Beirut;

Whereas Syria, a non-permanent United Nations Security Council member, has recently assumed the rotating Presidency of the Security Council;

Whereas the taking of hostages or participating as an accomplice in the taking of hostages is considered an act of terror under the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages;

Whereas Syria, Lebanon, and Iran voted in favor of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the United Nations General Assembly;

Whereas the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international bodies have had no access to any of the aforementioned individuals;

Whereas the Governments of Syria, Lebanon, and Iran have refused to cooperate with previous United States efforts to secure the release of the aforementioned individuals;

Whereas section 2 of Public Law 106-89 directs the Secretary of State to raise the issue of missing Israeli soldiers Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz, and Tzvi Feldman with officials of Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority and other governments in the Middle East and specifies that, in deciding whether or not to provide United States assistance to any government or authority which may have information concerning the whereabouts of these soldiers, the President should take into consideration the willingness of these governments and authorities to assist in locating and securing the return of these soldiers;

Whereas section 3 of Public Law 106-89 directs the Department of State to report to Congress on the efforts described in the preceding clause;

Whereas diplomatic efforts to secure the release of these individuals have been unsuccessful; and

Whereas Zachary Baumel is a United States citizen and seizure of a United States citizen as a hostage anywhere in the world is a crime under section 1203 of title 18, United States Code: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--

(1) calls on the Governments of Syria and Lebanon to immediately and unconditionally take all necessary measures to provide the fullest possible accounting for, and to secure the release of, United States citizen Zachary Baumel and all other Israeli hostages held under Lebanese or Syrian control;

(2) encourages the Secretary of State to vigorously carry out the provisions of Public Law 106-89;

(3) expresses solidarity with the Government of Israel and fully supports its efforts to return Israeli hostages to their families; and

(4) expresses solidarity with the families of Israel's hostages and fully supports their heroic efforts to bring their loved ones home.

END

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