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(2004), reaffirmed its call for the strict respect of Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon;

Whereas there remains unresolved and as a matter of national and world concern the assassination of Rafiq alHariri, former Lebanese prime minister, which has justly been condemned as a terrorist act;

Whereas the international community has begun investigations into the assassination of Rafiq al-Hariri and it is the policy of the United States to urge full cooperation with the investigations;

Whereas the international community is considering further action to promote Lebanese sovereignty;

Whereas the emancipation of political prisoners and detainees held in Syrian and Lebanese prisons is a precondition for national reconciliation and a rebuilding of Lebanon's democratic institutions; and

Whereas general elections in Lebanon are scheduled to begin on May 29, 2005: Now, therefore, be it

Strike all after the resolving clause and insert

the following:

1 That it is the sense of the House of Representatives

2 that

3

(1) Syria should complete its withdrawal of all

4 remaining intelligence and security forces from the

Lebanese Republic in accordance with United Na

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tions Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004);

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(2) Lebanon should allow unfettered access to international monitors present for the purpose of

verifying compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004);

(3) Lebanon should hold free, fair, and transparent elections to begin on May 29, 2005, in accordance with all international standards and agreements;

(4) the United States should aid the people of Lebanon in their efforts to restore the separation of

powers, the rule of law, and a proper respect for fundamental freedoms of every citizen; and

(5) it should be the policy of the United States Government to

(A) support free and fair elections in Lebanon by encouraging international election assistance and observers;

(B) support a national dialogue that transcends sectarian divisions and urge the development of democratic institutions and safeguards

to foster sovereign democratic rule in Lebanon; and

(C) call for the immediate release of all political prisoners and detainees held in Lebanese

and Syrian prisons.

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Amend the title so as to read: "Resolution recognizing the courageous efforts of the people of Lebanon to restore their independence and urging the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from Lebanon, the support for free and fair democratic elections in Lebanon, and the development of democratic institutions and safeguards to foster sovereign democratic rule in Lebanon.".

(Original Signature of Member)

109TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

H. RES.

282

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding manifestations of anti-Semitism by United Nations member states and urging action against anti-Semitism by United Nations officials, United Nations member states, and the Government of the United States, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding manifestations of anti-Semitism by United Nations member states and urging action against anti-Semitism by United Nations officials, United Nations member states, and the Government of the United States, and for other purposes.

Whereas the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes that "the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human fam

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ily is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world";

Whereas United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379 (1975) concluded that "Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination" and the General Assembly, by a vote of 111 to 25, only revoked Resolution 3379 in 1991 "in response to strong leadership by the United States and after Israel made its participation in the Madrid Peace Conference conditional upon repeal of the resolution";

Whereas during the 1991 session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations repeated the outrageous "blood libel" that Jews allegedly have killed non-Jewish children to make unleavened bread for Passover and, despite repeated interventions by the Governments of Israel and the United States, this outrageous lie was not corrected in the record of the Commission for many months;

Whereas in March 1997, the Palestinian observer at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights made the contemptible charge that the Government of Israel had injected 300 Palestinian children with HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus, the pathogen that causes AIDS) despite the fact that an Egyptian newspaper had printed a full retraction to its earlier report of the same charges, and the President of the Commission failed to challenge this baseless and false accusation despite the request of the Government of Israel that he do so;

Whereas Israel was denied membership in any regional grouping of the United Nations until the year 2000, which prevented it from being a candidate for any elected positions within the United Nations system until that