JERUSALEM — A strong advocate for Israel who helped keep international attention focused on missing Israeli soldiers, former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado has died. He was 91.
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Campbell, a Republican and one of the most prominent Native American lawmakers in U.S. history, played a key role in galvanizing American diplomatic pressure over the fate of Israeli soldiers captured during the 1982 Lebanon war. In 1999, he introduced legislation directing the U.S. State Department to press Syria and Palestinian leadership for information about three missing Israeli soldiers, including Zachary Baumel, a Brooklyn-born American citizen who served in the Israel Defense Forces.
At the time, Campbell said unresolved cases of missing soldiers can haunt nations and undermine efforts to build peace, arguing that accounting for the missing would strengthen U.S. and international efforts toward Middle East stability. His bill also called for U.S. foreign aid decisions to consider cooperation in locating and returning the soldiers.
Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Yona Baumel. in 1999
Campbell served in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2005 after earlier service in the House. A member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, he was known for his independent streak, work on Native American issues and willingness to cross party lines. He later switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, citing differences on national security and foreign policy.
A Korean War veteran and former Olympic athlete, Campbell remained active in public life long after leaving office, earning respect for his advocacy on humanitarian and human rights issues.
