Knesset Resolution Regarding the Kidnapped Israelis in Lebanon
15 October 2001
1. We, Members of the Knesset, the parliament of Israel, appeal
to all governments, parliaments, civilian organizations and all
those who uphold the principles of law, justice and morality, to
issue a joint call on the governments of Syria and Lebanon to
take immediate action for the release of the three Israeli
soldiers: Beni Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Souad who were
kidnapped on October 7th, 2000 by the Hizboullah terrorist
organization into Lebanese territory from an area under Israeli
control.
We also call for the release of the Israeli civilian, Elhanan
Tannenbaum, who was abducted by the same organization on October
15th 2000 and is being held in Lebanon, and for information that
will lead to the return of the other Israelis, Missing in Action,
whose fate has been unknown for years: Zecharia Baumel, Zvi
Feldman, Yehuda Katz, Ron Arad, and Guy Hever.
2. The Knesset notes that the State of Israel fully implemented
United Nations Resolution 425 by withdrawing its forces from
Lebanese soil to the international boundary. This boundary was
marked under the direction of the United Nations and by UN
personnel, paying strict attention to every single map marking.
Lebanon did not comply with United Nations Resolution 425. The
Lebanese army was to have taken control of the strip of territory
vacated by the Israeli army, but did not do this. In its place,
the border area was taken over by the Hizboullah Organization,
which acts on orders from Syria and Iran. This was what also made
possible the kidnapping of the three soldiers, more than a year
ago.
3. The Knesset wishes to give expression to the distress
resulting from the total absence of any sign of life since the
abductions or information of any kind as to the fate of the
kidnapped soldiers so that their families are totally in the dark
regarding their dear ones and therefore suffer unbearably. This
situation contravenes any human or moral code.
4. The Knesset notes that despite all our efforts until now,
following every possible path, via various intermediaries, the
Hizboullah has adamantly and arrogantly refrained from providing
the slightest fragment of information about the young men who
were kidnapped, and has prevented their receiving any visits by
any international representative.
5. The Knesset calls on all governments, parliaments, civilian
organizations and individuals who are concerned about the issue
of the kidnapped soldiers to denounce and condemn on every
possible platform this behaviour of the Hizboullah and its
supporters, behaviour unacceptable in civilized society. Even
during periods of bitter conflict between nations and peoples,
basic codes of behaviour and human and moral values must be
preserved.
6. The Knesset sends a special appeal to the United Nations, the
International Red Cross and to all international organizations
that uphold human welfare and human rights, to fulfill the basic
code they follow and to make use of every channel, tool and means
at their disposal and not to rest until the kidnapped soldiers
have been released.
7. The Knesset believes that this effort to acquire information
and the return of the boys to their homes should not be set aside
even during this period when the attention of the world is
focused on the crucial struggle to destroy international
terrorism. The unknown fate of the boys is in the hands of a
terrorist organization and its supporters, and therefore the
struggle to bring them home, important in its own right, is also
part of the struggle to put an end to international terrorism in
all its manifestations, which uses unlawful means to instigate
cruel and indiscriminate attacks on innocent people anywhere.
8. The Knesset calls on all world parliaments to join this appeal
and to adopt a similar resolution of their own, to be brought to
the attention of their own public as well as that of the
international community. The Knesset calls on parliaments to
explore every possible avenue for help in this attempt to shed
light on the fate of the kidnapped and missing men so that they
can soon be brought back home.