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Week Ending September 28, 2007

S.RES.328 A resolution condemning the assassination on September 19, 2007, of Antoine Ghanem, a member of the Parliament of Lebanon who opposed Syrian interference in Lebanon.

The resolution preamble draws attention to the death of Lebanese Member of Parliament Antoine Ghanem who was killed by a car-bomb on September 19, 2007.

The preamble draws a correlation between Ghanem’s death and his opposition to Syrian involvement in Lebanon. Others of a similar political persuasion have also been killed.

More resolution below….

Sponsor:  Senator Joe Biden (D-DE)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent September 24, 2007

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost

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MORE INFORMATION

   Whereas Antoine Ghanem and at least 6 others were killed in a car-bomb attack in the Sin el-Fil suburb of Beirut on September 19, 2007;

   Whereas Mr. Ghanem was a member of the Parliament of Lebanon from the Lebanese Kataeb Party representing the Baabda and Aley districts of Mount Lebanon;

   Whereas Mr. Ghanem is the 6th member of the Parliament of Lebanon who had opposed Syrian interference in Lebanon to be assassinated since February 2005, including former Prime Minister of Lebanon Rafik Hariri, former Economy and Trade Minister Bassel Fleihan, Gebran Tueni, Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, and Walid Eido;

   Whereas other prominent figures in Lebanon who have opposed Syrian interference in that country have also been assassinated in the same time period, including politician George Hawi and journalist Samir Kassir, while others have escaped assassination attempts, including Defense Minister Elias Murr, Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh, and television presenter May Chidiac;

   Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1757 of May 30, 2007, created a special international tribunal to try suspects in the assassinations of former Prime Minister Hariri and others;

   Whereas, by agreement between the United Nations and Lebanon, the special international tribunal can receive jurisdiction for other attacks in Lebanon that ``are of a nature and gravity similar to the attack of 14 February 2005''; and

   Whereas these continuing assassinations are intended to undermine the sovereignty of Lebanon and damage its fragile democratic institutions: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) expresses its deepest condolences to the families of Antoine Ghanem and other victims of the attack of September 19, 2007, as well as to all the people of Lebanon;

    (2) condemns in the strongest terms this cowardly attack and urges that its perpetrators, including any state sponsor or official, be held accountable for their crimes;

    (3) underscores its full support for the special international tribunal and urges the United Nations Security Council to extend its jurisdiction to include the Ghanem assassination;

    (4) urges the President to increase coordination with key partners in Europe and the Middle East to more actively support the sovereignty of Lebanon and strengthen its governing institutions and security forces; and

    (5) reasserts its strong belief that the people of Lebanon should be permitted to choose their next president, in a process scheduled to begin in September 2007, free from all foreign intimidation, interference, and violence.

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