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Special Action Alert
Commemorating Twenty Years Of Capture
Where Are Our Israeli Soldiers? On June 11, 1982, a battle
raged in the Bekaa Valley in northern Lebanon between an Israeli tank unit
and a Syrian armored unit. Resulting from this battle, three (3) Israeli
soldiers -- First Sergeant Tzvi Feldman, Sergeant Zachary Baumel, and
Corporal Yehuda Katz -- were reported
missing-in-action and are
still unaccounted for.
Ever since these three soldiers were taken, their families have spared no
effort and are doing their utmost to obtain any information possible as to
the fate of these missing soldiers. They have contacted governments, human
rights organizations, the ICRC, the UN, and other international bodies. No
information has been forthcoming.
Because most of the areas in which these soldiers disappeared were
continually controlled by Syria, Syria bears responsibility for their fate
according to international law.
At Israel’s request, the Syrian authorities have been approached time and
time again for information about the fate of these missing soldiers. World
leaders and representatives of international bodies have called on Syria’s
President Assad concerning this matter. To date, President Assad has not
revealed any information about their conditions or whereabouts. All
efforts to learn the fate of these young soldiers from other groups in the
area, including the PLO, have not succeeded.
In the fall of 1991, the Western Hostages in Lebanon were freed, yet these
three soldiers are still being held hostage. Twenty pain-filled years have
passed since these soldiers were taken. Twenty long years have passed
since their families have seen them or heard anything about them.
In 1999, S.676 in the Senate, and H.R.1175 in the House, were passed to
help assure that this issue is uppermost on the agenda. These laws mandate
that the United States State Department must raise the plight of these
missing soldiers in all relevant Middle East discussions and report the
findings to Congress. They must be implemented and enforced.
Twenty years after the capture of these three soldiers, we ask you to
write to your legislators in Washington urging them to implement S.676 and
H.R.1175 of 1999. Every avenue be pursued on behalf of Zachary Baumel,
Tzvi Feldman, and Yehuda Katz. We also call upon the President and the
Secretary of State to intensify all efforts to secure the freedom of
Israel’s MIAs. For the sake of decency and respect for human life, for the
sake of humanity and compassion, after 20 years of anguish, let these
young men come home at last.
President Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500 |
Sec. of
State Powell
Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520 |
Honorable (Senator)
U. S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510 |
Honorable (Representative)
U. S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
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