IV 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 344

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Syria, Lebanon, 

and Iran should be held accountable for the well-being of abducted 

Israeli civilian Elchanan Tannenbaum, provide the International Committee of the Red Cross access to Elchanan Tannenbaum, and take 

all necessary measures to secure the release of Elchanan Tannenbaum. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 25, 2003

Mr. LANTOS (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. 

ENGEL, and Mr. CROWLEY) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

Syria, Lebanon, and Iran should be held accountable 

for the well-being of abducted Israeli civilian Elchanan 

Tannenbaum, provide the International Committee of the 

Red Cross access to Elchanan Tannenbaum, and take 

all necessary measures to secure the release of Elchanan 

Tannenbaum.

Whereas on October 15, 2000, Hizballah announced that 

Israeli civilian Elchanan Tannenbaum, missing after 

traveling to Belgium, was being held hostage by 

Hizballah; 
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Whereas Elchanan Tannenbaum remains a hostage held by 

Hizballah in Lebanon; 

Whereas on January 5, 2003, Hizballah announced that 

Elchanan Tannenbaum is alive; 

Whereas the taking of hostages or participating as an accomplice in the taking of hostages is considered an act of terror under the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages; 

Whereas the Secretary of State has designated Hizballah as 

a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 

of the Immigration and Nationality Act; 

Whereas the 2002 State Department Report on Foreign Terrorist Organizations stated that Hizballah receives financial, military, political, diplomatic, and organizational 

support from Iran and from Syria; 

Whereas the 2002 State Department Report Patterns of 

Global Terrorism states that the Lebanese government 

has recognized Hizballah as a legal organization, allows 

Hizballah to maintain offices in Beirut, and has refused 

to freeze the financial assets of Hizballah in Lebanon; 

Whereas Syria, Iran, and Lebanon voted in favor of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the United Nations General Assembly; 

Whereas Elchanan Tannenbaum suffers from several serious 

medical conditions that are potentially life-threatening 

without appropriate medical care; 

Whereas U.N. General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988, regarding the protection of all persons 

under any form of detention or imprisonment, requires a 

proper medical examination to be offered to a detained 

or imprisoned person as promptly as possible after his 
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admission to the place of detention or imprisonment, and 

thereafter medical care and treatment shall be provided 

whenever necessary; 

Whereas U.N. General Assembly resolution 43/173 of December 9, 1988, requires that the name of the physician and 

the results of such an examination shall be duly recorded 

and access to such records ensured; 

Whereas under the provisions of U.N. General Assembly resolution 43/173 of December 9, 1988, Iran, Syria, and 

Lebanon are obligated to provide medical care for 

Elchanan Tannenbaum; 

Whereas the International Committee of the Red Cross has 

been denied access to Elchanan Tannenbaum; and 

Whereas Israel went to extraordinary lengths to assist the 

United States in helping to secure the release of Terry 

Anderson and other American hostages held in Lebanon 

in 1991: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that—

3 (1) the Governments of Syria, Lebanon, and 

4 Iran shall be held responsible for the well-being of 

5 Elchanan Tannenbaum, who is being held hostage in 

6 Lebanon by the terrorist organization Hizballah; 

7 (2) the Governments of Syria, Lebanon, and 

8 Iran shall immediately and unconditionally provide a 

9 complete medical accounting of Elchanan Tannen10 baum’s present state of health to the International 

11 Committee of the Red Cross; 
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HRES 344 IH 

1 (3) the Governments of Syria, Lebanon, and 

2 Iran shall immediately and unconditionally take all 

3 necessary measures to provide the International 

4 Committee of the Red Cross with ongoing access to 

5 Elchanan Tannenbaum; and 

6 (4) the Governments of Syria, Lebanon, and 

7 Iran shall immediately and unconditionally take all 

8 necessary measures to secure the release of 

9 Elchanan Tannenbaum from captivity.

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