February 13, 2001

TO:
 JCPA Member Agencies
FROM:

Martin J. Raffel, Associate Director,
Reva Price, JCPA Washington Representative

RE:
 Kidnapped Israeli Soldiers and Civilian

ACTION:

Contact your Representatives and urge them to sign the "dear colleague letters" to Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan concerning the three Israeli soldiers and one civilian held hostage by Hezbollah guerillas. These letters are being circulated by Representatives Schakowsky (IL), Kirk (IL), Weiner (NY), and Maloney (NY). For those of you attending the JCPA Plenum, we will ask that you address this issue with your elected officials during your visits to Capitol Hill as well.

BACKGROUND:

Last November, Chicago’s Federation launched the "blue ribbon" campaign to help focus attention on the plight of Israel’s hostages. Since that time many CRCs and Federations from communities across the country have joined in this effort. While in Israel during the JCPA solidarity mission (December 3-8, 2000), JCPA Chair Len Cole promised the families of the missing men that he would bring this issue to the U.S. Congress, which he did in a joint letter from the JCPA, UJC and the Conference of Presidents. The letter went together with a blue ribbon to all House and Senate members in December. However, with a new Administration and Congress, we need to revive the Washington dimension of the campaign.

As you know, three Israeli soldiers and one civilian have been missing since last October. While they were on patrol on the Israeli side of the United Nations' certified international border, Israel Defense Force soldiers Adi Avitan, 21, Benny Avraham, 20, and Omar Souad, 27, were kidnapped into Lebanon by Hezbollah terrorists. Shortly thereafter, the Hezbollah also kidnapped Elchanan Tanenbaum, an Israeli citizen, who was on a private business trip in Europe. We also recall that Israeli Air Force navigator Ron Arad was taken captive on October 16, 1986, and Zachary Baumel, an American citizen serving in the Israeli Defense Forces, was taken captive along with Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz on June 11, 1982. There is no information on their location or well being.

The letter from members of the House of Representatives to Secretary Powell request "that this issue be highlighted as a priority matter for the State Department. Its importance should be conveyed directly to all nations and organizations that may assist in obtaining information about and securing the release of these hostages. These latest Hezbollah acts of terror are aimed at undermining the search for peace and stability in the Middle East. They must not be allowed to stand without response." The letter to Kofi Annan asks for the same kind of response from the United Nations.

Below is a letter from Aviva Raz-Schecter, Counselor of Public and Cultural Affairs at Israel’s Embassy, urging your assistance on this matter.

 

Dear Jewish Community Leaders: February 8, 2001

In October 2000, three Israelis soldiers were abducted while patrolling the Israeli side of the Israel/Lebanon border. An investigation revealed that all or at least some of the soldiers were injured in the kidnapping. About a week after the first abduction, an Israeli businessman was kidnapped while traveling for business in Europe.

Now, over three and a half months later, all four are still being held captive and no information has been received about them.

Israel has undergone intensive efforts through the United Nations and other friendly states to obtain information and to secure the release of the kidnapped soldiers and businessman. However, the Hizbullah has denied requests made by the International Red Cross to visit the abducted Israelis.

The abduction and the total silence surrounding it is a flagrant violation of international law. As we know from the past, the Hizbullah are capable of holding Israeli prisoners for decades, without any information pertaining to their well being. This cannot be repeated.

It is important for Israel and the Jewish community to keep publicizing and pursuing all avenues for the release of the Israelis held by the Hizbullah. Enclosed is a set of talking points that you can use in your pursuit. We hope that you will use them and will pass them on to your constituents.

We appreciate your involvement and look forward to working with you on this important endeavor. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at 202-364-5542.

Sincerely,

 

Aviva Raz Schechter

Counselor of Public and Cultural Affairs

 

Israelis held by the Hizbullah

  1. On October 7, 2000, three Israeli soldiers, Staff Sgt. Omar Sawaid (27 & married with two young children), Staff Sgt. Benyamin Avraham (21) and Sgt. Adi Avitan (22), were abducted by the Hizbullah terror organization. The three soldiers were kidnapped while patrolling the Israeli side of the Israeli-Lebanese border. This borderline is officially recognized by the UN Secretary General and the Security Council as the Israeli deployment line and is in full accord with Security Council Resolution 425.

  2. An investigation carried out at the scene of the abduction revealed that the Hizbullah men disguised themselves as UN personnel, using uniforms and vehicles carrying the UNIFIL insignia.

  3. On October 16, 2000, the Hizbullah Secretary General announced that his organization was holding an Israeli citizen, Elhanan Tenenboim. As far as we know, Tenenboim (a businessman) was abducted while on a private business trip to Europe. Tenenboim is 54 years old, married and has two children; he is also the son of Holocaust survivors.

  4. Since the abduction of the four Israelis, the Hizbullah has held them in complete isolation. The captors have denied the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) permission to visit them and learn at first hand their state of health and the condition of their place of captivity.

  5. Findings from the scene of the abduction of the three Israeli soldiers indicate that their vehicle was bombed and that the soldiers were fired upon, resulting in the injury of all or at least some of them. We do not know the extent of the injuries or whether their captors are giving them suitable treatment.

  6. We have no information regarding the physical condition of Mr. Elhanan Tenenboim, who suffers from medical problems that require daily treatment. His medical file was transferred to the ICRC, along with his medications. We are aware that the ICRC has given the medications to the Hizbullah in Beirut, but we do not know for sure whether Tenenboim has received them.

  7. The holding of the four Israelis by the Hizbullah, while their families are unable to receive any information about their loved ones, is in gross violation of international law and contravenes the most basic humanitarian principles. This situation is causing great suffering to the families and must be totally condemned by the international community.

  8. Israel is doing its utmost to enable the families to receive information about their loves ones and to obtain their release. We hold Lebanon, Syria and Iran responsible for the well being of the abducted Israelis, since the actions of the Hizbullah are encouraged, supported and financed by these countries.

  9. We appeal to the international community, United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and all those that respect and cherish human rights principles to support the humanitarian effort to obtain information about the abducted Israelis and to apply maximum pressure on the relevant governments, so that ICRC representatives will be able to visit the Israelis held by the Hizbullah. This is purely a humanitarian action and it has no direct connection to the ongoing efforts to obtain the release of the abducted