IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1077 

Expressing deep concern over the use of civilians as ‘‘human shields’’ in 

violation of international humanitarian law and the law of war during 

armed conflict, including Hezbollah’s tactic of embedding its forces 

among civilians to use them as human shields during the recent conflict 

between Hezbollah and the State of Israel. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2006 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing deep concern over the use of civilians as ‘‘human 

shields’’ in violation of international humanitarian law 

and the law of war during armed conflict, including 

Hezbollah’s tactic of embedding its forces among civilians 

to use them as human shields during the recent conflict 

between Hezbollah and the State of Israel. 

Whereas ‘‘human shields’’ are the use of civilians, prisoners 

of war, or other noncombatants whose mere presence is 

designed to protect combatants and objects from attack; 

Whereas the use of human shields is violative of international 

humanitarian law and the law of war; 


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•HRES 1077 IH 

Whereas throughout the recent conflict with the State of 

Israel, Hezbollah forces utilized human shields to protect 

themselves from counterattacks by Israeli forces; 

Whereas the majority of civilian casualties of that conflict 

might have been avoided and civilian lives saved had 

Hezbollah not employed this tactic; 

Whereas the news media made constant mention of civilian 

casualties but rarely pointed to the culpability, under 

international law, of Hezbollah for their endangerment of 

such civilians; 

Whereas United States and international leaders attempted 

to call the use of human shields to the world’s attention; 

Whereas on August 11, 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza 

Rice stated, ‘‘Hezbollah and its sponsors have brought 

devastation upon the people of Lebanon, dragging them 

into a war that they did not choose, and exploiting them 

as human shields . . .’’; 

Whereas on August 14, 2006, President George W. Bush 

stated, ‘‘Hezbollah terrorists targeted Israeli civilians 

with daily rocket attacks. Hezbollah terrorists used Lebanese civilians as human shields, sacrificing the innocent 

in an effort to protect themselves from Israeli response 

. . .’’; 

Whereas Jan Egeland, United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, accused Hezbollah of ‘‘cowardly blending . . . 

among women and children.’’; 

Whereas Additional Protocol I, Article 50(1) to the Geneva 

Convention defines civilian as, ‘‘[a]ny person who does 

not belong to one of the categories of persons referred to 

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•HRES 1077 IH 

tion and in Article 43 of this Protocol. In the case of 

doubt whether a person is a civilian, that person shall be 

considered a civilian.’’; 

Whereas Additional Protocol I, Article 51(7) to the Geneva 

Convention states, ‘‘[T]he presence or movement of the 

civilian population or individual civilians shall not be used 

to render certain points or areas immune from military 

operations, in particular in attempts to shield military objectives from attacks or to shield, favour or impede military operations. The Parties to the conflict shall not direct the movement of the civilian population or individual 

civilians in order to attempt to shield military objectives 

from attacks or to shield military operations.’’; and 

Whereas Convention IV, Article 28, Relative to the Protection 

of Civilian Persons in Time of War of the Geneva Convention states, ‘‘The presence of a protected person may 

not be used to render certain points or areas immune 

from military operations.’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) strongly condemns the use of innocent civil3 ians as human shields, including Hezbollah’s recent 

4 use of this brutal and illegal tactic; 

5 (2) calls on the international community to rec6 ognize the grave breaches of international law 

7 through the use of human shields; and 

8 (3) calls on the community of United States 

9 and international jurisprudential scholars and prac10 titioners and the leadership of the Armed Forces to 

11 review the current international legal regime and to 


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•HRES 1077 IH 

1 make recommendations to prevent the future use of 

2 human shields during armed conflicts. 

Æ 


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