[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1201 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1201

   Expressing the grave concern of the House of Representatives for 
    Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran's continued actions to undermine the 
  legitimate Lebanese Government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, and 
     their systematic violation of United Nations Security Council 
                Resolutions 1559, 1680, 1701, and 1747.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2008

Mr. Israel (for himself, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. Lampson, Mr. Schiff, Mr. 
  Weiner, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Arcuri, Mr. Bishop of New 
  York, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Ross, Mr. Issa, Mr. Radanovich, Mr. 
Cantor, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Tiberi, Mr. Nunes, and Mr. McNulty) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the grave concern of the House of Representatives for 
    Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran's continued actions to undermine the 
  legitimate Lebanese Government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, and 
     their systematic violation of United Nations Security Council 
                Resolutions 1559, 1680, 1701, and 1747.

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 reaffirms the Security 
        Council's call for the strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial 
        integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon, under the sole 
        and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon, throughout all 
        Lebanese territory;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1680 strongly encourages the 
        Government of Syria to delineate its border with Lebanon and establish 
        full diplomatic relations and representation;
Whereas Lebanon has been without a president for 5 months, and Hezbollah 
        continues to block the election of a new president;
Whereas Hezbollah has violently taken control of much of Beirut;
Whereas Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has called for immediate, ``free and fair'' 
        presidential elections ``without prior conditions'' and ``conducted 
        according to Lebanese constitutional rules, without foreign interference 
        and influence'';
Whereas the Security Council has repeatedly called for free and fair 
        presidential elections in Lebanon in accordance with the Lebanese 
        constitution and without preconditions or foreign influence;
Whereas Syria continues to undermine the legitimate Government of Lebanon, 
        headed by Prime Minister Siniora;
Whereas on April 22, the Friends of Lebanon called for the immediate election of 
        a Lebanese president without prior conditions, the establishment of a 
        national unity government, and the holding of general elections in 
        conformity with an electoral law agreed by all parties, in accordance 
        with the Arab League plan;
Whereas the Friends of Lebanon also called on all parties inside and outside 
        Lebanon to respect Lebanon's independence and sovereignty;
Whereas the Friends of Lebanon include a robust and diverse set of 
        representatives from Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, 
        Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and 
        the United States, along with the Secretary General of the Arab League, 
        the Secretary General of the Council of the European Union, and the 
        Secretary General of the United Nations;
Whereas Hezbollah has established an parallel structure to the elected 
        Government of Prime Minister Siniora, which is the sole legitimate 
        authority in Lebanon;
Whereas according to the Government of Lebanon, Hezbollah maintains its own 
        separate and secure communication network, which is considered illegal;
Whereas the Government of Lebanon regards the network as ``illegal'' and an 
        ``attack on the sovereignty of the State'';
Whereas the United Nations Secretary General's special envoy to Lebanon reports 
        that Hezbollah maintains a massive paramilitary infrastructure separate 
        from the State;
Whereas Hezbollah, with extensive support from Iran and Syria, has restored and 
        enhanced its arsenal of rockets and sophisticated antitank guided 
        missiles, estimated to include 10,000 long range and 20,000 short range 
        rockets, deployed both north and south of the Litani River;
Whereas Lieutenant General Michael Maples, the director of the Defense 
        Intelligence Agency, testified before Congress in February 2008, saying, 
        ``Lebanese Hezbollah continues to receive weapons, training, and 
        resources from Iran'';
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747, acting under Chapter 7 
        of the United Nations charter, said Iran ``shall not supply, sell, or 
        transfer . . . any arms of related materiel'' and all Nations ``shall 
        prohibit the procurement of such items from Iran'';
Whereas the United Nations Secretary General's special envoy to Lebanon has said 
        the United Nations continues to be ``deeply concerned'' by the 
        activities of Syrian-based Popular Front for the Liberation of 
        Palestine-General Command and Fatah Al-Intifada, both of which maintain 
        significant military infrastructures within Lebanon and along the border 
        with Syria;
Whereas both Resolutions 1559 and 1701 call for the disarmament of all armed 
        militias and foreign forces in Lebanon, and state there should be ``no 
        weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese State'';
Whereas Resolution 1701 established an enhanced United Nations Interim Force in 
        Lebanon (UNIFIL) to assist the Lebanese armed forces in taking steps to 
        disarm all armed groups in Lebanon, so that, pursuant to the Lebanese 
        cabinet decision of July 27, 2006, there will be no weapons or authority 
        in Lebanon, other than those of the Lebanese State;
Whereas Resolution 1701 requires that States in the region ``take the necessary 
        measure to prevent . . . the sale or supply . . . of arms and related 
        material . . .'' to Lebanon, except those authorized by the Government 
        of Lebanon or by UNIFIL;
Whereas United Nations Secretary General has called on Syria and Iran to support 
        Hezbollah's transformation into a political party;
Whereas on numerous occasions, United Nations forces identified armed Hezbollah 
        operatives and weapons convoys, but failed to intercede as authorized by 
        United Nations rules;
Whereas the United Nations Secretary General's 7th semiannual report on the 
        implementation of Resolution 1559 stated that on the night of March 30, 
        2008, United Nations troops on patrol in southern Lebanon encountered 
        ``unidentified armed elements'' but failed to take action, even after 
        being threatened at gunpoint;
Whereas under Resolution 1701, United Nations forces in Lebanon are specifically 
        authorized to ``take all necessary action . . . to ensure that its area 
        of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind'';
Whereas Israel Defense Forces soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, abducted 
        by Hezbollah forces on July 12, 2006, have not been released, as called 
        for in Resolution 1701, and have not been permitted access to the 
        International Red Cross, as afforded to them under international law; 
        and
Whereas on March 27, 2008, the Security Council encouraged the United Nations 
        Secretary General to continue to take steps towards the establishment of 
        the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, in order to prosecute those 
        responsible for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister 
        Rafiq Hariri, and noted that the Tribunal is ``based on the highest 
        international standards of criminal justice'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) demands that all provisions of the United Nations 
        Security Council Resolutions be implemented, including--
                    (A) Hezbollah's immediate and unconditional release 
                of Israel Defense Forces soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and 
                Eldad Regev, as mandated by Resolution 1701;
                    (B) Hezbollah and other armed foreign and Lebanese 
                militia groups disband and disarm, as required by 
                Resolutions 1559 and 1701; and
                    (C) the strict enforcement of the arms embargo, as 
                both Resolution 1559 and 1701 demand there be no 
                weapons in Lebanon without the consent of the 
                Government of Lebanon, and no authority other than that 
                of the Government of Lebanon;
            (2) calls for--
                    (A) the immediate election of a Lebanese president 
                without preconditions, in accordance with the Lebanese 
                constitution, and without foreign interference, as 
                called for by the Security Council;
                    (B) the Security Council to declare Iran and Syria 
                in violation of Resolutions 1559, 1701, and 1747; and
                    (C) the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon 
                (UNIFIL) to follow its established terms of engagement 
                and take the necessary steps when confronted to disarm 
                Hezbollah and other armed elements;
            (3) expresses--
                    (A) continued support for the Government of Prime 
                Minister Fuad Siniora, the sole legitimate authority in 
                Lebanon;
                    (B) support for the Government of Lebanon in 
                asserting its sovereignty by extending its authority 
                throughout its territory, particularly in the southern 
                regions;
                    (C) vigorous support for a democratic Lebanon, with 
                both domestic and foreign militias permanently 
                disarmed;
                    (D) support for UNIFIL troops, and strong hope for 
                the expansion of its troops to the Syrian border to 
                enforce the weapons embargo;
                    (E) its deepest concern that the continued failure 
                of the international community to live up to its 
                commitments to stop Hezbollah's rearmament could once 
                again lead to war; and
                    (F) unwavering support and commitment to the 
                unconditional release of abducted Israeli soldiers; and
            (4) condemns Iran and Syria--
                    (A) for their ongoing violation of Resolutions 1559 
                and 1701, especially for their rearmament of Hezbollah; 
                and
                    (B) for sponsoring, financing, and arming terrorist 
                organizations internationally, and specifically within 
                Lebanon.
                                 <all>