[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8783]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF SOLDIERS OF ISRAEL

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
Committee on Foreign Relations be discharged from further consideration 
of S. Res. 92.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 92) calling for the immediate and 
     unconditional release of soldiers of Israel held captive by 
     Hamas and Hezbollah.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the resolution be 
printed in the Record, with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 92) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 92

       Whereas Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon on May 24, 
     2000;
       Whereas Congress expressed concern for soldiers of Israel 
     missing in Lebanon and Syrian-controlled territory of Lebanon 
     in the Act entitled ``To locate and secure the return of 
     Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen, and other Israeli 
     soldiers missing in action'', approved November 8, 1999 
     (Public Law 106-89), which required the Secretary of State to 
     raise the status of missing soldiers of Israel with 
     appropriate government officials of Syria, Lebanon, the 
     Palestinian Authority, and other governments in the region, 
     and to submit to Congress reports on those efforts and any 
     subsequent discovery of relevant information;
       Whereas, on June 18, 2000, the United Nations Security 
     Council welcomed and endorsed the report by United Nations 
     Secretary-General Kofi Annan that Israel had withdrawn 
     completely from Lebanon under the terms of United Nations 
     Security Council Resolution 425 (1978);
       Whereas Israel completed its withdrawal from Gaza on 
     September 12, 2005;
       Whereas, on June 25, 2006, Hamas and allied terrorists 
     crossed into Israel to attack a military post, killing 2 
     soldiers and wounding a third, Gilad Shalit, who was 
     kidnapped;
       Whereas, on July 12, 2006, terrorists of Hezbollah crossed 
     into Israel to attack troops of Israeli patrolling the 
     Israeli side of the border with Lebanon, killing 3 soldiers, 
     wounding 2 more, and kidnapping Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad 
     Regev;
       Whereas Gilad Shalit has been held in captivity by Hamas 
     for more than 7 months;
       Whereas Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev have been held in 
     captivity by Hezbollah for more than 6 months;
       Whereas Hamas and Hezbollah have withheld all information 
     on the health and welfare of the men they have kidnapped; and
       Whereas, contrary to the most basic standards of 
     humanitarian conduct, Hamas and Hezbollah have prevented 
     access to the Israeli captives by competent medical personnel 
     and representatives of the International Committee of the Red 
     Cross: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) demands that--
       (A) Hamas immediately and unconditionally release Israeli 
     soldier Gilad Shalit;
       (B) Hezbollah accept the mandate of United Nations Security 
     Council Resolution 1701 (2006) by immediately and 
     unconditionally releasing Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser 
     and Eldad Regev; and
       (C) Hezbollah and Hamas accede to the most basic standards 
     of humanitarian conduct and allow prompt access to the 
     Israeli captives by competent medical personnel and 
     representatives of the International Committee of the Red 
     Cross;
       (2) expresses--
       (A) vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the 
     welfare and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and 
     democratic state with secure borders;
       (B) strong support and deep interest in achieving a 
     resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the 
     creation of a viable and independent Palestinian state living 
     in peace alongside of the State of Israel;
       (C) ongoing concern and sympathy for the families of Gilad 
     Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser, Eldad Regev, and all other missing 
     soldiers of Israel; and
       (D) full commitment to seek the immediate and unconditional 
     release of the Israeli captives; and
       (3) condemns--
       (A) Hamas and Hezbollah for the cross border attacks and 
     kidnappings that precipitated weeks of intensive armed 
     conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and armed Palestinian 
     groups; and
       (B) Iran and Syria for their ongoing support of Hezbollah 
     and Hamas.

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