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October 9, 2003
Orthodox Union
Commends House International Relations Committee
for Passage of Syria Accountability Act
The Union of Orthodox
Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish
synagogue organization, today commended the House International Relations
Committee for its passage of the Syria Accountability Act by a vote of
33-2. This important bill was introduced by Representatives Eliot Engel
(D-NY) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). The bill makes it clear to the
regime in Damascus that it must take steps to cease and desist from its
support of terrorism or suffer sanctions. Syria has long been on the State
Department list of state sponsors of terrorism. The Syrian government
facilitates violent attacks against Israel and its neighbors through its
support of terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.
Syrian troops have occupied Lebanon for more than 25 years and fostered
its use as a springboard for international terrorism. With a green light
from Syria, Hezbollah has conducted cross-border terrorist attacks against
Israel, the most recent of which took place in Haifa and claimed 19
innocent Israeli lives.
The Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003
calls on Syria to stop supporting terrorism, remove its troops from
Lebanon, take genuine steps towards peace with Israel, and to stop
developing weapons of mass destruction and the methods with which to
deliver them. If order to make Syria accountable, this bill would put an
end to economic and international cooperation with Syria and downgrade
diplomatic relations with its government.
The Orthodox Union believes that the passage of this bill will help send a
clear message to the Syrian government that it must behave responsibly or
suffer the consequences. We urge the Congress to pass this important bill.
We also urge the Senate to pass the parallel bill introduced by Senators
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Rick Santorum (R-PA) as soon as possible. This
would constitute an important step in the fight against global terrorism
and in bringing stability to the Middle East.
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