III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 153 

Reaffirming the unique collaboration among United States nongovernmental 

organizations (NGOs), including faith-based organizations, and the Israel 

Defense Forces to deliver humanitarian assistance to Syrians. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 10, 2019 

Mr. LANKFORD (for himself and Mr. CASEY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Reaffirming the unique collaboration among United States 

nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including faithbased organizations, and the Israel Defense Forces to 

deliver humanitarian assistance to Syrians. 

Whereas the Syrian civil war, now in its eighth year, has 

forced 14,000,000 Syrians to flee, more than half of the 

country’s pre-war population, with 6,500,000 internally 

displaced people (IDPs) still within the country; 

Whereas ‘‘Operation Good Neighbor’’ is a program of the 

Israel Defense Forces to provide humanitarian relief to 

Syrians; 

Whereas Operation Good Neighbor worked with United 

States nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to help 

forge unprecedented partnerships between the Israel DeVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:15 Apr 10, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR153.IS SR153

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 153 IS 

fense Forces (IDF) and Syrian NGOs, which opened a 

new channel for the delivery of humanitarian assistance; 

Whereas, as a result, food, fuel, medicine, ambulances, and 

medical supplies were flowing cross-border from Israel 

into southern Syria; 

Whereas this new channel permitted these goods to arrive at 

Israeli ports, and be trucked by the IDF through Israel 

to the border with Syria; 

Whereas, at the border, the IDF transferred these containers 

to Syrian NGOs for transport and distribution to IDPs 

and local residents in previously hard-to-reach locations 

in southern Syria; 

Whereas United States NGOs, including faith-based organizations, facilitated the relationships between the Syrian 

NGOs and the IDF by providing overall coordination and 

support for this regional cooperation to help promote regional peace through a multifaceted humanitarian relief 

operation; 

Whereas the program initially reached only villages along the 

border, but expanded to a broader area of southern 

Syria, and as deliveries continued on a sustained basis, 

the initiative ultimately reached an even greater population; and 

Whereas, in addition to the value of the humanitarian relief 

itself, the Syrian/Israeli partnerships, created and reinforced through the success of the new channel, demonstrated the value of cooperation and continues to serve 

as a role model for strengthened positive relations between Syrians and Israelis: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate hereby reaffirms the 

2 unique collaboration between United States nongovernVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:15 Apr 10, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR153.IS SR153

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 153 IS 

1 mental organizations (NGOs), including faith-based orga2 nizations, and Syrian NGOs and the Israel Defense Forces 

3 (IDF) for having provided vital aid to internally displaced 

4 people and local residents in southern Syria while also 

5 countering generations of hostility, promoting dialogue be6 tween neighbors, and ultimately advancing long-term sta7 bility in the region. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS