A resolution requesting information on Israel's human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 797 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 797

 Requesting information on Israel's human rights practices pursuant to 
         section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 2026

Mr. Welch submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Requesting information on Israel's human rights practices pursuant to 
         section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

Whereas Israeli military operations in Lebanon during the 2026 war have been 
        characterized by the destruction of thousands of civilian homes, 
        residential buildings, and religious sites, and by mass evacuation 
        orders resulting in the displacement of more than 1,000,000 people;
Whereas, according to Lebanon's National Council for Scientific Research, since 
        February 28, 2026, Israeli operations across Lebanon have destroyed or 
        damaged more than 60,000 housing units;
Whereas press reports indicate that Israel Defense Forces have used bulldozers 
        and controlled demolitions to destroy dozens of centuries-old villages, 
        mosques, and churches across southern Lebanon, with the New York Times 
        reporting the controlled destruction of ``at least two dozen towns and 
        villages near the border, with damage to government offices as well as 
        civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and mosques'';
Whereas the destruction of civilian homes in Lebanon has been enabled by the 
        imposition of unilaterally declared ``evacuation zones,'' which have 
        displaced more than 1,000,000 people, including 700,000 who were 
        forcibly displaced from a single Beirut neighborhood;
Whereas Israeli officials have spoken of occupying a ``security zone'' and 
        indefinitely occupying Lebanon to the Litani River;
Whereas Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the destruction of 
        property by occupying powers ``except where such destruction is rendered 
        absolutely necessary by military operations'';
Whereas the ``extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified 
        by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly'' is a 
        breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a war crime under section 
        2441 of title 18, United States Code; and
Whereas intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects is a war crime: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON ISRAEL'S HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES.

    (a) Statement Requested.--The Senate requests that the Secretary of 
State, not later than 30 days after the date of the adoption of this 
resolution, submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, 
pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2304(c)), a statement regarding Israel's human rights practices 
that has been prepared in collaboration with the Assistant Secretary of 
State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and the Office of the 
Legal Adviser.
    (b) Elements.--The statement submitted under subsection (a) should 
include--
            (1) all available credible information concerning alleged 
        violations of internationally recognized human rights by the 
        Government of Israel since February 28, 2026, including--
                    (A) the full scale and scope of the Israeli 
                government's destruction of homes and civilian 
                infrastructure in Lebanon since February 28, 2026, 
                including the destruction of religious, educational, 
                and medical facilities, and the razing of objects 
                indispensable to the survival of the civilian 
                population, including farmland and orchards; and
                    (B) an assessment of civilian casualties in 
                unilaterally imposed ``evacuation zones'' and the 
                denial of the right to life in the context of the armed 
                conflict in Lebanon caused by indiscriminate or 
                disproportionate operations in such zones, including 
                the use of so-called ``double tap'' strikes on 
                civilians; and
            (2) other information with regard to operations by the 
        Israeli armed forces in Lebanon since February 28, 2026, 
        including--
                    (A) an assessment of whether United States-provided 
                bulldozers, munitions, and defense articles or services 
                have been used in mass destruction or demolition 
                operations, or civilian harm incidents in Lebanon;
                    (B) a description of any actions taken by the 
                Secretary of State to solicit a determination from the 
                Office of the Legal Adviser of whether actions by the 
                Government of Israel in Lebanon present risks of 
                violating international humanitarian law or of 
                constituting war crimes or gross violations of human 
                rights for purposes of compliance with the Foreign 
                Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.); and
                    (C) a description of any actions taken by the 
                Secretary of State to seek information and a 
                determination on whether Israel's operations in Lebanon 
                violate Israel's assurances to the United States 
                Government that United States-provided defense articles 
                and services would be used in accordance with 
                international humanitarian law and for ``legitimate 
                self-defense''.
                                 <all>