SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 62

<!-- -->

SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_

SENATE RESOLUTION 153--REAFFIRMING THE UNIQUE COLLABORATION AMONG

UNITED STATES NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS), INCLUDING FAITH-

BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES TO DELIVER

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO SYRIANS

Mr. LANKFORD (for himself and Mr. Casey) submitted the following

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

\[S. Res. 153\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-resolution/153)

Whereas the Syrian civil war, now in its eighth year, has

forced 14,000,000 Syrians to flee, more than half of the

country's pre-war population, with 6,500,000 internally

displaced people (IDPs) still within the country;

Whereas \\\`\\\`Operation Good Neighbor'' is a program of the

Israel Defense Forces to provide humanitarian relief to

Syrians;

Whereas Operation Good Neighbor worked with United States

nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to help forge

unprecedented partnerships between the Israel Defense Forces

(IDF) and Syrian NGOs, which opened a new channel for the

delivery of humanitarian assistance;

Whereas, as a result, food, fuel, medicine, ambulances, and

medical supplies were flowing cross-border from Israel into

southern Syria;

Whereas this new channel permitted these goods to arrive at

Israeli ports, and be trucked by the IDF through Israel to

the border with Syria;

Whereas, at the border, the IDF transferred these

containers to Syrian NGOs for transport and distribution to

IDPs and local residents in previously hard-to-reach

locations in southern Syria;

Whereas United States NGOs, including faith-based

organizations, facilitated the relationships between the

Syrian NGOs and the IDF by providing overall coordination and

support for this regional cooperation to help promote

regional peace through a multifaceted humanitarian relief

operation;

Whereas the program initially reached only villages along

the border, but expanded to a broader area of southern Syria,

and as deliveries continued on a sustained basis, the

initiative ultimately reached an even greater population; and

Whereas, in addition to the value of the humanitarian

relief itself, the Syrian/Israeli partnerships, created and

reinforced through the success of the new channel,

demonstrated the value of cooperation and continues to serve

as a role model for strengthened positive relations between

Syrians and Israelis: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate hereby reaffirms the unique

collaboration between United States nongovernmental

organizations (NGOs), including faith-based organizations,

and Syrian NGOs and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for

having provided vital aid to internally displaced people and

local residents in southern Syria while also countering

generations of hostility, promoting dialogue between

neighbors, and ultimately advancing long-term stability in

the region.

&nbsp;