Tag Archive for UNDOF

| August 22, 2018
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Israel requests UN peacekeepers return to posts in Syria

Now that President Bashar Assad regained control of the Syrian Golan Heights, Jerusalem asks U.N. to increase size of UNDOF force from 1,000 to 1200-1300 peacekeepers.
• Remember: UNDOF retreated from Syria in 2014 after peacekeepers were kidnapped by an al Qaida force.

By Lilach Shoval

 

Israel has asked the United Nations to reinstate its Disengagement Observer Force on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights border, outgoing Northern Command Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Asher Ben-Lulu has confirmed to Israel Hayom.

UNDOF peacekeepers were first deployed on both sides of the Golan Heights border in 1974 as part of the Separation of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| August 15, 2018
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Russia joins UN patrols along Syria-Israel frontier

With the return of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force to the frontier between Syria and Israel, Russia announces its military police will assist them until all UN patrols along the border are fully restored.

The Associated Press

 

The Russian military said Tuesday that its forces in Syria will help UN peacekeepers fully restore patrols along the volatile frontier between Syria and the Israeli Golan Heights.

The Russian deployment in the area has highlighted Moscow’s growing clout in the region, marking a successful attempt to balance the sharply conflicting interests of Israel and Iran.

Syrian army soldier stands guard as Russian military police vehicle passes by near the town of Alhureyeh – Photo: AP

“The Russian flag is the guarantor of peace and security on that land,” said Lt. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| August 5, 2018
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U.N. Disengagement Observer Force returns to Syria’s side of border

The UN ‘peacekeeping’ UNDOF returns to Syria for first time in years, conducting joint patrols with Russian military police, acknowledging Moscow’s standing in the region.
• Iranian-backed troops still posted near Damascus, and only 25 miles from Mount Hermon.

By The Associated Press & Israel Hayom Staff

 

U.N. peacekeepers returned to the Israel-Syria border on the Golan Heights on Thursday, for the first time in years.

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force officials conducted joint patrols with Russian military police in a reflection of Moscow’s deepening role in mediating between the decades-old foes in the volatile region.

The irony of it all!

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| July 1, 2018
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UNSC calls for all armed groups to leave Syria’s Golan ‘area of separation’

The UN Security Council’s renewal of UN’s 1974 ceasefire resolution for the Golan Heights calls for Syrian regime military as well as opposition forces to cease fighting and immediately retreat from the Golan Heights.

By AFP, Arutz Sheva Staff

 

The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously renewed for six months its mission to observe the ceasefire in the Golan Heights, calling for armed groups to leave the Syria-Israel border area.

UNDOF, which comprises nearly a thousand personnel, was created in 1974 after an agreement on the departure of Israeli and Syrian forces from Golan.

UNDOF observation position on Mount Bental, Israel’s part of the Golan Heights.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| February 23, 2017
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ISIS affiliate groups gaining ground in Syrian Golan offensive

 

The latest offensive by an ISIS-allied group in the tri-border region of southwest Syria, Israel and Jordan has quickly captured 4 villages and is currently endangering the Syrian city of Daraa, whose southwest suburb is already under ISIS control.

BY Roi Kais

 

ISIS-affiliated groups opened a major offensive in the tri-nation border of Israel, Syria and Jordan, attacking various rebel factions and have managed to take control of four villages—Adwan, Saham al-Jawlan, Jalin and Tasil—in addition to the strategic southwestern suburb of Daraa, which is the capital of Hauran.

Israel-Syria-Jordan triborders – Google Maps

Areas change hands somewhat frequently, but a rapid victory on this scale has not been seen in some time. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , , ,
| March 23, 2016
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UNDOF soldiers returning to the Syrian border with Israel

 

A year and a half after UN peacekeepers left Syrian territory, the United Nations intends to return its UNDOF force, which is composed of soldiers from 5 countries, to the posts they were stationed between 1974-2014.

By Alex Fishman

 

A year and a half after the hasty departure of UN troops from the Syrian Golan Heights, the UN force supervising the separation of forces is prepared to disperse its forces on the Syrian side of the border.

Former UNDOF commander Iqbal Singh with IDF commanders – Photo: Yoav Zitun

In recent weeks, officers and soldiers from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) made several visits to facilities and vantage points they manned from September 2014 in the Syrian Golan Heights. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| May 6, 2015
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2 wounded UN peacekeepers from errant mortar strike inside Syria treated in Israel

In apparent spillover from ongoing civil war, 2 wounded UNDOF peacekeepers stationed in Quneitra, a man & a woman from Nepal, were sent to an Israeli hospital for treatment.

By Danny Brenner, Lilach Shoval, Israel Hayom Staff & Reuters

 

Two United Nations peacekeepers stationed on the Israel-Syria border in the Golan Heights were wounded on Monday when a mortar shell struck their position in Quneitra.

A wounded U.N. peacekeeper is treated at Ziv Medical Center in Safed, Monday – Photo: Ziv Medical Center

It is believed the mortar fire was spillover from the ongoing civil war inside Syria.

The wounded peacekeepers, a man and a woman from Nepal, were transported to an Israeli hospital for medical treatment. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Mid-East News | Tags: , , , , ,
| August 31, 2014
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Al-Jazeera Reports: Syrian UNDOF peacekeepers flee to Israel

 

Al-Jazeera TV reported UNDOF soldiers in southern Syria abandoning their posts to flee to the Israeli side. Meanwhile a Phillipine official reported that Syrian rebels who seized the 43 Fijian UN peacekeepers, attacked Filipino troops on the Syrian Golan Heights.

By Roi Kais and AFP

The Al-Jazeera network reported Saturday that members of the UN Disengagement Observer Force stationed in Daraa in southern Syria are abandoning their posts and fleeing to the Israeli side of the Golan Heights.

Armored UN vehicle at Qunitera border crossing, Saturday morning (Photo: AFP)

Armored UN vehicle at Qunitera border crossing, Saturday morning – Photo: AFP

In another report published simultaneously, Philippine officials said Syrian rebels holding dozens of Fijian UN peacekeepers hostage attacked Filipino troops in the Golan Heights on Saturday. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| June 26, 2014
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UN demands end to Syrian military action in Golan border region with Israel

 

U.N. Security Council unanimously adopts resolution, “that there should be no military activity of any kind in the area of separation, including military operations by the Syrian Arab Armed Forces.”

By The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

 

The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday strongly condemned the recent intense fighting between Syrian government and opposition fighters in the Golan Heights and demanded an end to all military activity in the area that has separated Syrian and Israeli forces since 1974.

Wounded Israelis are transported from Golan Heights to Rambam hospital in Haifa on Sunday – Photo: Michel Dot Com

A resolution unanimously adopted by the council echoed U.N.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| June 27, 2013
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UN demands Assad & Rebels halt all military activity in Golan Heights

UN Security Council extends mandate of UNDOF deployed on Syrian-Israeli border.

By Reuters and

 

 

The UN Security Council has demanded a halt to all military activity by the Syrian government and opposition fighters on the Golan Heights and called for stepped up measures to protect peacekeepers who have been caught in crossfire.

UN peacekeeping soldiers from Austria near the Quneitra border crossing between Israel and Syria, June 2013. - Photo by Reuters

UN peacekeeping soldiers from Austria near the Quneitra border crossing between Israel and Syria, June 2013. – Photo by Reuters

A resolution adopted unanimously by the council on Thursday extended the mandate of the UN force monitoring the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights until December 31. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , , ,
| June 27, 2013
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Golan Peacekeepers now to be Armed with Machine Guns

UNSC upgrades UNDOF peacekeepers with machine guns, extra body armor & more armored vehicles.

By Gil Ronen

 

The UN Security Council on Thursday backed UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights carrying machine guns, as fallout from the Syria war increases in the ceasefire zone, AFP reported.

UN base outside of Quneitra, Golan Heights – Photo IsraelandStuffPP

UN base outside of Quneitra, Golan Heights – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP 

The 15-member council passed a resolution to extend the mandate of the force, which monitors a three-decade-old ceasefire between Syria and Israel, but which called on Syrian government and opposition fighters to stay out of the zone.

The council strongly condemned three abductions of UN peacekeepers in the Golan since March and expressed “grave concern” at violations of the 1974 ceasefire accord. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| June 17, 2013
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Fiji troops replaced UN Austrian peacekeepers who fled from the Golan

Nearly 170 Fiji  soldiers to join UNDOF on Israel-Syria border after Austria’s soldiers withdrew before replacements took over.

By Ynet

 

The United Nations announced Monday that 170 peacekeepers from Fiji will join the UN’s Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) stationed on the Israel– Syria border by the end of the month.

עזבו את הגבול ונכנסו לישראל. נסיגת הכוח האוסטרי (צילום: EPA)

Fiji force to replace Austrians – Photo: EPA

They will be replacing Austrian forces who have pulled out of the area following an escalation in the fighting between Assad’s forces and the rebels.

The Austrian troops left the Golan Heights area last week. Austria’s dramatic decision to withdraw from the area led the UN’s Security Council to harshly condemn the spread of violence to the demilitarized buffer zone. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| June 12, 2013
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Austria began withdrawing their peacekeepers from Syrian Golan Heights

Because of the escalating encounters between Syrian rebels & gov’t forces, which left 2 UN soldiers wounded last week, Austria decided to pull out of the region and entered the protection of Israel.

Austrian troops made up the biggest contingent in the 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

Austria has begun withdrawing peacekeepers from the Golan Heights, winding down a four-decade mission due to spillover fighting from the Syrian civil war, the Austrian Defense Ministry said.

Austrian U.N. peacekeepers withdrawing from Syria carry their belongings as they cross border between Israel and Syria at Quneitra on Wednesday – Photo: AP

A Reuters journalist stationed in the Golan Heights said Austrian troops had already moved from the Quneitra crossing point to a United Nations base inside the Israeli-held part of the heights on Tuesday.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| June 9, 2013
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UNSC: Israel said they would attack Syrian tanks on Golan Heights

Document submitted to UN Security Council says IDF told UN commander they would ‘take action’ if Syrian army tanks entered into agreed buffer zone during Quneitra battle with rebel.

By Ynet

 

The fierce battles in the Quneitra region between the Syrian army and rebels trying to overthrow President Bashar Assad threatened to result in a significant military confrontation between Israel and Syria, American blogger Nabil Abi Saab reported on Saturday.

פקחים, תצפיתנים ודריכות. אזור הקרבות בקונייטרה (צילום: AP)

UN vehicles near Quneitra battle zone – Photo: AP

The report was based on a document submitted to the Security Council by Herve Ladsous, UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| June 8, 2013
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UN: No Russians Allowed in Golan Heights Force

The UN reported that Russia is banned from participating in the Golan Heights peacekeeping force, UNDOF.

By Elad Benari, Canada

 

The United Nations said on Friday that Russia cannot send troops to the Golan Heights peacekeeping force, after President Vladimir Putin said he was ready to bolster the force, AFP reported.

Russian soldiers march in Moscow

Russian soldiers march in Moscow

Putin offered troops after Austria decided to withdraw its 377 soldiers from the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) between Syria and Israel because of growing spillover from the Syria conflict.

However, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said later on Friday that Russia was banned from taking part in the force because it is one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
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