[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 77 (Wednesday, June 12, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CAPTURE OF ZACHARY BAUMEL

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ANTHONY D. WEINER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 11, 2002

  Mr. WEINER. Mr. Speaker, on June 11, 1982, during a battle with 
Syrian and Palestinians forces on the Israeli-Lebanese border, five 
Israeli soldiers were captured by Syrian forces. Several years later, 
two of the captured soldiers were returned to Israel in prisoner 
exchanges with Syria. But today, twenty years later, we still know 
nothing of three of these soldiers, Zachary Baumel, Tzvi Feldman, and 
Yehuda Katz.
  One of these soldiers, Zachary Baumel, is a U.S. citizen, and a 
former resident of my congressional district.
  On a number of occasions, I have met with Zachary's parents, and 
listened to them tell me of the years of effort to gain any information 
about their son. For the most part, this has been a fruitless quest. 
But the greatest injustice is not that they have been unable to 
discover any information about the well-being of their son. The 
greatest injustice is that there are those out there who know where 
Zachary is, and yet, they refuse to share this information.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States must not permit those who know the 
whereabouts of Zachary Baumel to keep this information to themselves. 
In 1993, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat delivered one-half of Zachary 
Baumel's dog tag to Israeli Government. Clearly he has a connection to 
those who are holding him, yet he has done nothing to assist in 
bringing Zach home.
  Mr. Speaker, we must increase the pressure on Syria, Iran and the 
Palestinian Authority and any other nation that has information 
regarding these prisoners. That is why I, along with the Gentleman from 
California, Mr. Lantos, have led a coalition of members in sending a 
letter, which I will submit for publication in the Congressional 
Record, to the Secretary of State, urging him to raise this matter with 
Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Shara when he comes to Washington later 
this month.
  Mr. Speaker, this nightmare has lasted long enough, it's time to 
bring Zachary Baumel and all of the other missing Israeli soldiers 
home.

                                Congress of the United States,

                                     Washington, DC, June 7, 2002.
     Secretary Colin L. Powell,
     U.S. Department of State,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Powell: Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Shara 
     is scheduled to meet with you in Washington, D.C. this week. 
     You may be aware that his visit will coincide with the 20th 
     anniversary of the capture of American citizen and Israeli 
     soldier Zachary Baumel who, along with four other Israeli 
     soldiers, was taken captive on June 11, 1982 during battles 
     with Syrian forces near the Lebanese village of Sultan 
     Ya'akub. We urge you to take advantage of the concurrence of 
     these events to reinvigorate efforts to obtain information 
     regarding the whereabouts of these and other missing Israeli 
     soldiers, and to secure their release.
       Since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, more 
     than four hundred Israeli soldiers have been declared 
     ``Missing in Action'' (MIA). Only six of these cases are 
     officially listed as ``soldiers missing but presumed to be 
     alive.'' Three of the soldiers: Zachary Baumel, Tzvi Feldman 
     and Yehuda Katz were captured in 1982. The fourth, Ron Arad, 
     was captured in 1986. Recently, two more names were added to 
     the list of the missing; on August 17, 1997, Guy Hever went 
     missing from his army base in the Golan; on October 15, 2000, 
     Hizbullah announced that another Israeli citizen, 54 year-old 
     Elchanan Tannenbaum (Col. res.), had also been taken captive.
       As you are no doubt aware, Public Law 106-89, authored by 
     Congressman Lantos of California, directs the Department of 
     State to raise the issue of missing Israeli soldiers with 
     officials of Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority and 
     other governments in the Middle East. It specifies that US 
     aid to these governments should take into consideration their 
     willingness to assist in locating and securing the return of 
     these soldiers. It also directs the Department of State to 
     report to Congress on these efforts. We hope that you will 
     use the occasion of your meeting with Foreign Minister Shara 
     to further the goals of Public Law 106-89.
       If the Syrian government is to become a responsible member 
     of the international community, it must take all necessary 
     measures to provide the fullest possible accounting for 
     Zachary Baumel and all other Israeli hostages held under 
     Syrian control. We urge you to convey this message to the 
     Syrian Foreign Minister and to redouble your efforts to 
     secure the long overdue release of these soldiers.
       Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to your 
     response.
           Sincerely,
         Anthony D. Weiner; Tom Lantos, Benjamin A. Gilman; Henry 
           A. Waxman; Janice D. Schakowsky; Eliot L. Engel; 
           Carolyn B. Maloney; Nita M. Lowey; Gary L. Ackerman; 
           Shelley Berkley; Jerrold Nadler; Robert Wexler; Barney 
           Frank; Eric Cantor; James R. Langevin; Peter Deutsch; 
           Howard L. Berman; Steve Israel; Tammy Baldwin; Joseph 
           Crowley; Adam B. Schiff; Benjamin L. Cardin; Jim 
           Saxton.


           

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