U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

67–829 CC WASHINGTON : 2000

H. CON. RES. 331, COMMENDING ISRAEL’S

REDEPLOYMENT FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED SIXTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

MAY 24, 2000

Serial No. 106–160

Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations

(

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.house.gov/international—relations

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COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York, Chairman

WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania

JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa

HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois

DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey

DAN BURTON, Indiana

ELTON GALLEGLY, California

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida

CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina

DANA ROHRABACHER, California

DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California

PETER T. KING, New York

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio

MARSHALL ‘‘MARK’’ SANFORD, South

Carolina

MATT SALMON, Arizona

AMO HOUGHTON, New York

TOM CAMPBELL, California

JOHN M. MCHUGH, New York

KEVIN BRADY, Texas

RICHARD BURR, North Carolina

PAUL E. GILLMOR, Ohio

GEORGE RADANOVICH, California

JOHN COOKSEY, Louisiana

THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado

SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut

TOM LANTOS, California

HOWARD L. BERMAN, California

GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American

Samoa

MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California

DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey

ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey

SHERROD BROWN, Ohio

CYNTHIA A. MCKINNEY, Georgia

ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida

PAT DANNER, Missouri

EARL F. HILLIARD, Alabama

BRAD SHERMAN, California

ROBERT WEXLER, Florida

STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, New Jersey

JIM DAVIS, Florida

EARL POMEROY, North Dakota

WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York

BARBARA LEE, California

JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York

JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Pennsylvania

RICHARD J. GARON, Chief of Staff

KATHLEEN BERTELSEN MOAZED, Democratic Chief of Staff

HILLEL WEINBERG, Senior Professional Staff Member and Counsel

MARILYN C. OWEN, Staff Associate

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C O N T E N T S

Page

Markup of H. Con. Res. 331, Commending Israel’s redeployment from southern Lebanon .......................................................................................................... 1

APPENDIX

House Concurrent Resolution 331 .......................................................................... 3

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H. CON. RES. 331, COMMENDING ISRAEL’S

REDEPLOYMENT FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2000

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,

Washington, DC.

The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 4:37 p.m. In Room H–

139, The Capitol, Hon. Benjamin A. Gilman (Chairman of the Committee) presiding.

Chairman GILMAN. The Committee will come to order.

The Committee on International Relations meets in open session,

pursuant to notice, to mark up House Concurrent Resolution 331.

The Chair lays the resolution before the Committee. The clerk

will report the title of the resolution.

Mr. WEINBERG. House Concurrent Resolution 331. Concurrent

resolution——

Chairman GILMAN. Without objection, the preamble and operative language of the resolution will be read in that order for

amendment. The clerk will read.

Mr. WEINBERG. Whereas Israel has been actively seeking a

comprehensive——

Chairman GILMAN. Without objection, the resolution is considered as having been read and is open to amendment at any point.

[The bill appears in the appendix.]

Chairman GILMAN. This resolution is in the original jurisdiction

of the Full Committee. I would now recognize myself briefly to introduce this resolution.

H. Con. Res. 331, a concurrent resolution introduced by our distinguished Majority Leader, Mr. Armey of Texas, commends

Israel’s decision to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon.

I was more than pleased to lend my cosponsorship and strong

support to this resolution, which also calls on the U.N. Security

Council to recognize Israel’s fulfillment of Resolution 425, and to

insist that all foreign forces be withdrawn from Lebanon.

Also cosponsoring H. Con. Res. 331 are the distinguished Minority Leader, Mr. Gephardt of Missouri, as well as our Ranking Minority Member of our House International Relations Committee,

Mr. Gejdenson of Connecticut.

Israel’s courageous decision to pull out of Lebanon demonstrates

its strong commitment to a peaceful resolution to the conflicts that

trouble the region.

By withdrawing from Lebanon, Israel will be in full compliance

with U.N. Security Council Resolution 425.

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A major priority of ours is to affirm Israel’s right, as noted in

Chapter 7, Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, to defend

itself and its civilians from attack. I am pleased that in H. Con.

Res. 331 we are sending a strong bipartisan message of peace and

stability to the region, and I urge our colleagues to fully support

this important and timely resolution.

Mr. Gejdenson?

Mr. GEJDENSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to commend

you for moving this resolution as rapidly as we are.

I want to say that Israel, with Prime Minister Barak and his

commitment during the campaign to remove Israeli forces from

Lebanon, has fulfilled that obligation; and I think we are appropriate in commending the Israelis for this action that has I think

begun, a process of Lebanon taking full control of its own territory.

The United States and the United Nations should do everything

they can to assist Lebanon in taking over full control of its territory, removing all the foreign entities and controlling all internal

entities. Clearly, Hezbollah should recognize this as an opportunity

to take peaceful political actions. Additionally, countries in the region, particularly Syria, I think, have to be warned that if they try

to use this as an opportunity for creating mischief, they will pay

a terrible price in the international community, let alone any reaction by the Israelis.

The unanimous position of the Arab world and much of the world

indeed has been that Israel should withdraw from Lebanon; and

now that it has done so, it would be particularly outrageous if we

see the Syrians trying to cause additional trouble along that border. To the contrary, the Syrians ought to figure out how to help

Lebanon pull itself together and pull their forces out of Lebanon.

Obviously, this is something that many people have worked on for

a long time. Lebanon is a country that suffered tremendously

through the years, and we should use this as an opportunity to

help the Lebanese rebuild their society.

Chairman GILMAN. Thank you, Mr. Gejdenson.

Are any other Members seeking recognition?

If not, I call on the gentleman from New York, Mr. King, to offer

a motion.

Mr. KING. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Chairman be requested to seek consideration of the pending resolution on the suspension calendar.

Chairman GILMAN. The question is on the motion of the gentleman from New York, Mr. King. As many as are in favor of the

motion, say aye. As many as are opposed, say no.

The ayes have it. The motion is agreed to. Further proceedings

on this measure are postponed.

Mr. HASTINGS. I would like to have my name added as a cosponsor.

Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Wexler would like his name added.

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Chairman GILMAN. Mr. Wexler, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Cooksey, and

Mr. King also want to be added.

Mr. GEJDENSON. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have

an opportunity to submit additional statements for the record.

Chairman GILMAN. Without objection.

Mr. GEJDENSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Chairman GILMAN. The Committee stands adjourned.

[Whereupon, at 4:43 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

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A P P E N D I X

MAY 24, 2000

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