House to consider ‘human shield’ resolution

The U.S. House of Representatives is to consider a resolution condemning Hezbollah for using “human shields” during its war against Israel. The non-binding resolution, sponsored by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the Foreign Affairs Committee’s ranking member, was approved this week by the committee and now goes to the full House. It expresses “deep concern over the use of civilians as ‘human shields’ in violation of international humanitarian law and the law of war during armed conflict, including Hezbollah’s tactic of embedding its forces among civilians to use them as human shields during the summer of 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and the State of Israel.” The American Jewish Congress helped lead lobbying for the resolution.