III 109th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 548 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southern Lebanon following confirmation by the United Nations Secretary-General that the Government of Israel had fully withdrawn its armed forces from that country in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 (1978); Whereas, on June 16, 2000, the United Nations Security Council endorsed the Secretary-General’s conclusion that Israel had withdrawn all of its forces from Lebanon in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425; Whereas, notwithstanding the reservations of both Israel and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

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.