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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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 Leba-
nese civilians as human shields, sacrificing the innocent 
in an effort to protect themselves from Israeli response 
. . .’’; 
Whereas Jan Egeland, United Nations Undersecretary-Gen-
eral for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-
ordinator, 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 
in Article 4(A)(1), (2), (3), and (6) of the Third Conven-
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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 ob-
jectives from attacks or to shield, favour or impede mili-
tary operations. The Parties to the conflict shall not di-
rect 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 Con-
vention 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 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) strongly condemns the use of innocent civil-
ians as human shields, including Hezbollah’s recent 
use of this brutal and illegal tactic; 
(2) calls on the international community to rec-
ognize the grave breaches of international law 
through the use of human shields; and 
(3) calls on the community of United States 
and international jurisprudential scholars and prac-
titioners and the leadership of the Armed Forces to 
review the current international legal regime and to 
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•HRES 1077 IH 
make recommendations to prevent the future use of 
human shields during armed conflicts. 
Æ 
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