Extending the work of the United Nations force to monitor the disengagement in the occupied Syrian Golan

The UN Security Council decided unanimously to extend the United Nations Interim Force to monitor the disengagement of the occupied Syrian Golan for a period of six months.

The council unanimously adopted Resolution 2555 for the year 2020, which stipulates extending the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), until June 30.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations was asked to “ensure that the (UNDOF) force has the required capacity and resources to carry out its mandate in the Golan.”

The resolution mandates the UN force to maintain the ceasefire between the Israeli forces and the Assad regime forces and to supervise the areas of separation (a demilitarized buffer zone).

The Council called on the parties concerned to fully and complete respect the terms of the 1974 disengagement agreement between the forces, and to exercise “utmost restraint and prevent any violations of the ceasefire and the buffer zone, while affirming the impartiality of the force and encouraging the parties to take full advantage of their liaison functions.”

It called on all groups, except for the United Nations force, to abandon all force sites and return the peacekeepers’ vehicles, weapons and other equipment, to respect the force’s privileges and immunities and to guarantee its freedom of movement, and to ensure the unimpeded delivery of force equipment.

He also asked the parties to provide all necessary support to allow the full use of the “Quneitra Crossing” by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, in line with the established procedures, and to lift the restrictions related to the Coronavirus as soon as health conditions permit.

Israel captured the Syrian Golan Heights in the 1967 war, then transferred settlers to the region and announced its annexation in 1981, and is trying to obtain international support to ensure recognition of its sovereignty over the Golan.