Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 113 Part 2.djvu/285

 PUBLIC LAW 106-89 —NOV. 8, 1999 113 STAT. 1305 Public Law 106-89 106th Congress An Act To locate and secure the return of Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen, and Nov. 8, 1999 other Israeli soldiers missing in action. [H.R. 1175] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. The Congress finds that— (1) Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen serving in the Israeli military forces, has been missing in action since June 1982 when he was captured by forces affiliated with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) following a tank battle with Syrian forces at Sultan Ya'akub in Lebanon; (2) Yehuda Katz and Zvi Feldman, Israeli citizens serving Yehuda Katz. in the Israeli military forces, have been missing in action since Zvi Feldman. June 1982 when they were also captured by these same forces in a tank battle with Syrian forces at Sultan Ya'akub in Lebanon; (3) these three soldiers were last known to be in the hands of a Palestinian faction splintered from the PLO and operating in S5n*ian-controlled territory, thus making this a matter within the responsibility of the Government of Syria; (4) diplomatic efforts to secure the release of these individuals have been unsuccessful, although PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat delivered one-half of Zachary Baumel's dog tag to Israeli Government authorities; and (5) in the Gaza-Jericho agreement between the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel of May 4, 1994, Palestinian officials agreed to cooperate with Israel in locating and working for the return of Israeli soldiers missing in action. SEC. 2. ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO MISSING SOLDIERS. (a) CONTINUING COMMUNICATION WITH CERTAIN GOVERN- MENTS.— The Secretary of State shall continue to raise the matter of Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz, and Zvi Feldman on an urgent basis with appropriate government officials of Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, and with other governments in the region and elsewhere that, in the determination of the Secretary, may be helpful in locating and securing the return of these soldiers. (b) PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN GOVERNMENTS. — In deciding whether or not to provide United States assistance to any government or authority which the Secretary of State believes has information concerning the whereabouts of the soldiers described in subsection (a), and in formulating United States policy towards such government or authority, the President should take

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