WHEREAS, Hezbollah is a terrorist organization based in Lebanon dedicated to the destruction of the state of Israel; and

WHEREAS, Hezbollah’s guerilla attacks have killed hundreds of Israelis and has fostered the use of suicide bombers with the effect of randomly killing innocent bystanders in populated areas; and

WHEREAS, Hezbollah has been responsible for attacks on American embassies, for hijacking a U.S. airliner, for kidnapping American hostages, and for innumerable assaults on innocent people; and

WHEREAS, in November of this year, a meeting took place between Hezbollah and officials and ministers of the Presbyterian Church, co-sponsored by the Chicago Presbytery’s Middle East Task Force, in which the Reverend Robert Reynolds of the Presbytery’s executive board took part; and

WHEREAS, this meeting with Hezbollah terror chief Hassan Nasrallah, in which sympathy was expressed for the organization’s hostile actions, is the most recent in a series of gestures of support for its activities, including a campaign of divesting from Israeli companies; and

WHEREAS, such meetings legitimize and encourage the ruthless tactics of terrorist organizations and can only hinder efforts at bringing peace in the Middle East; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Counsel of the City of Chicago hereby declare their condemnation of the meeting, and express their dismay at the participation of the Reverend Robert Reynolds and the Chicago Presbytery at such a meeting; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all departments and agencies of the City of Chicago are directed to examine any programs of the City which provide service or financial support to the Chicago Presbytery and to reevaluate the propriety of continuing such services or financial support.