[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 548 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 548

 Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the need for the United 
  States and the international community to take certain actions with 
        respect to the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 3, 2006

Mr. Dodd (for himself, Mr. Levin, Mr. Sununu, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Chafee, 
Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Feingold, and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the need for the United 
  States and the international community to take certain actions with 
        respect to the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.

Whereas, on June 12, 2000, the Government of Lebanon advised the United Nations 
        that it would consider deploying its armed forces throughout southern 
        Lebanon following confirmation by the United Nations Secretary-General 
        that the Government of Israel had fully withdrawn its armed forces from 
        that country in accordance with United Nations Security Council 
        Resolution 425 (1978);
Whereas, on June 16, 2000, the United Nations Security Council endorsed the 
        Secretary-General's conclusion that Israel had withdrawn all of its 
        forces from Lebanon in accordance with United Nations Security Council 
        Resolution 425;
Whereas, notwithstanding the reservations of both Israel and Lebanon regarding 
        the final line determining what constitutes an Israeli withdrawal in 
        accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, the 
        governments of both countries confirmed that establishing the 
        identifying line was the sole responsibility of the United Nations, and 
        that they would respect the line that the United Nations identified;
Whereas Hezbollah remains an armed terrorist presence in Lebanon and continues 
        to receive material and political support from the Governments of Syria 
        and Iran;
Whereas, as affirmed in Public Law 108-175, the Governments of Syria and Iran 
        have significant influence over Hezbollah;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004) calls for the 
        withdrawal of all foreign forces and the dismantlement of all 
        independent militias in Lebanon;
Whereas the international community has provided insufficient encouragement and 
        resources to the Government of Lebanon to enable the Government to 
        comply with the relevant provisions of United Nations Security Council 
        Resolution 1559;
Whereas Hezbollah launched an unprovoked attack against Israel on July 12, 2006, 
        killing 7 Israeli soldiers and taking 2 soldiers hostage, its fifth 
        provocative act against Israel since the summer of 2005;
Whereas the Government of Israel, as reaffirmed in S. Res. 534, has the right to 
        defend itself and to take appropriate action to deter aggression by 
        terrorist groups and their state sponsors;
Whereas fighting between Israel and Hezbollah to date has caused significant 
        damage to Lebanon's and Israel's infrastructures that will necessitate 
        the expenditure of significant sums to rebuild;
Whereas more than 400 citizens of Israel and Lebanon have already lost their 
        lives in the ongoing conflict;
Whereas over 14,000 United States citizens have been evacuated from Lebanon at a 
        cost of over $60,000,000;
Whereas more than 1,000,000 Israelis living in northern Israel are under threat 
        of Hezbollah rockets;
Whereas more than 700,000 Lebanese civilians have been displaced by the 
        fighting, and the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator is seeking 
        more than $170,000,000 in donations from international donors to pay for 
        food, medicine, water, and sanitation services over the next 3 months;
Whereas the United States Government has pledged $30,000,000 in short-term 
        humanitarian assistance to address the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon;
Whereas the fragile democracy of Lebanon is in jeopardy of collapsing without 
        significant international support to address the humanitarian crisis in 
        the country and to strengthen the capacity of the army and security 
        forces of the Government of Lebanon to gain effective control of all 
        territory in Lebanon; and
Whereas continued fighting between Hezbollah and Israel is a threat to the peace 
        and security of the peoples of Israel and Lebanon:
Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) the Governments of Syria and Iran should--
                    (A) end all material and logistical support for 
                Hezbollah, including attempts to replenish Hezbollah's 
                supply of weapons; and
                    (B) use their significant influence over Hexbollah 
                to disarm the group and release all kidnapped 
                prisoners;
            (2) the United States Government and the international 
        community must work urgently with the Governments of Israel and 
        Lebanon--
                    (A) to attain a cessation in the hostilities 
                between Hezbollah and Israel based on--
                            (i) effectuating the safe return of Israeli 
                        soldiers held in Lebanon;
                            (ii) the disarmament of Hezbollah, the 
                        removal of all Hezbollah forces from southern 
                        Lebanon, and the replacement of those forces 
                        with army and security forces of the Government 
                        of Lebanon; and
                            (iii) reaching an agreement to fully 
                        implement United Nations Security Council 
                        Resolution 1559 and to create and deploy an 
                        international stabilization force with a clear 
                        mandate to enforce a permanent ceasefire;
                    (B) to organize an international donors conference 
                to solicit and ensure the provision of international 
                resources for the reconstruction of roads, bridges, 
                hospitals, electrical and communications systems, and 
                other civilian infrastructure damaged or destroyed in 
                Lebanon during the hostilities;
                    (C) to remain engaged to promote sustainable peace 
                and security for Israel and Lebanon and the greater 
                Middle East; and
                    (D) to assist the Government of Lebanon on its path 
                to democracy by promoting necessary internal political 
                reforms; and
            (3) the territorial integrity, sovereignty, unity, and 
        political independence of Lebanon should be strongly supported.
                                 <all>