Israel / Syria
Current Operations
UNDOF
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UN-led)
Since: 06/74
More Information
Violence gets closer to U.N. peacekeepers in Syria (23.03.2012)
(Source:Reuters AlertNet)
Blue-helmeted United Nations peacekeeping troops patrolling a slice of Syrian territory to maintain a ceasefire with Israel face new risks as violence between Syrian government loyalists and rebels gets closer.
Security Council extends mandate of UN force in Golan Heights (21.12.2011)
(Source:UN News)
The Security Council today agreed to extend the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping force monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights for another six months.
Ban calls for maximum restraint following violence along Israeli-Syrian border (06.06.2011)
(Source:UN News)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for maximum restraint by all sides after yesterday’s violence in the occupied Golan Heights, which reportedly led to an unconfirmed number of civilian casualties, and warned that it threatens the long-held ceasefire between Israel and Syria.
Security Council extends mandate of UN observer force in Golan Heights (22.12.2010)
(Source:UN News)
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations force observing the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights for a further six months, until 30 June 2011.
Ban calls for resumption of Israeli-Syrian talks, extension of UN force (03.12.2010)
(Source:UN News)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended that the United Nations force monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights be extended for another six months and called on the parties to restart peace talks.
Syria says it is ready to make peace with Israel if it fulfils UN resolutions (28.09.2010)
(Source:UN News)
Syria said today that it “has the will” to make peace with Israel within the framework of United Nations resolutions calling for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, stressing that the return to it of the Golan Heights is non-negotiable.
Security Council renews mandate of UN force in Golan Heights (30.06.2010)
(Source:UN News)
The Security Council today agreed to renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), its peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights, for another six months.
UN chief appoints Filipino general to lead peacekeeping in Golan Heights (01.02.2010)
(Source:UN News)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today named a Filipino general as the new Force Commander for the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights, tasked with observing the ceasefire between Israel and Syria in the region.
Security Council extends UN disengagement force on Israeli-Syrian front (16.12.2009)
(Source:UN News)
The Security Council today renewed the 35-year-old United Nations mission observing the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights for another six months, after Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called its presence “essential” due to overlying regional tensions despite calm on that particular front.
Ban calls for extension of UN disengagement force on Israeli-Syrian front (01.12.2009)
(Source:UN News)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for a six-month extension for the 35-year-old United Nations mission observing the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights, terming its presence “essential” due to overlying regional tensions despite calm on that particular front.
Report: Netanyahu ready to discuss Golan pullout (12.11.2009)
(Source:Haaretz)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to deliver a message from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Syrian President Bashar Assad that expresses Israel's willingness to withdraw from the Golan Heights as part of a peace deal between the two countries, Arabic-language satellite TV channel Al Arabiya reported on Thursday.
Croatia offers to broker Israel-Syria talks (29.10.2009)
(Source:Haaretz)
Assad: Syrians want to continue negotiations with Israel; Netanyahu prepared to resume indirect talks.
Philippines sending troops to Golan U.N. force (14.09.2009)
(Source:AlertNet / International)
The Philippines has agreed to deploy a 300-member peacekeeping force in the disputed Golan Heights, replacing a Polish contingent, the defence chief said on Monday after a six-day visit to the United States. … The United Nations has deployed more than 1,000 troops from Austria, Canada, Croatia, India, Japan and Poland at the disputed plateau overlooking Damascus and the Sea of Galilee that supplies water to Israel.
Syria backs peace with Israel if UN rulings enforced (31.08.2009)
(Source:The Daily Star / Lebanon)
Syria favors a peace deal with Israel based on implementation of UN resolutions, Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Sunday at a meeting in Damascus with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. “Syria is working for a fair and global peace based on UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338,” Assad was quoted as saying by SANA state news agency.
Moallem: Damascus demands full Israeli pullout from Golan (13.07.2009)
(Source:The Daily Star / Lebanon)
Syria will not restart peace talks with Israel unless Israel is willing to discuss a full withdrawal from the Occupied Golan Heights said Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, reiterating previously stated Syrian position. Moallem spoke at a joint news conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who met with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday, and also with Moallem.
Israel must stay „deep in Golan“ (10.07.2009)
(Source:BBC / UK)
An aide to Israel's prime minister has said Israel must keep a large part of the Golan Heights, rejecting Syria's major demand for a peace deal. The previous government held indirect talks with Syria, assumed to be based on returning the Golan Heights, occupied in 1967, in return for peace. In June, Syrian President Bashar Assad said there was no partner for talks on the Israeli side. Correspondents say the aide's comments will serve to reinforce this view.
Syria says no peace partner in Israel (07.07.2009)
(Source:Asharq Al-Awsat / UK)
Syria's president said Tuesday that there is no "real partner" in Israel to make peace, stressing that a halt to Jewish settlements is essential to restart peace talks with the Jewish state. Syria has said it is willing to resume indirect peace talks mediated by Turkey as long as they focus on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war.
Syria threatens to take back Golan by force (28.06.2009)
(Source:Haaretz / Israel)
Syrian officials threatened on Saturday to take back the Golan Heights by force if a peace agreement involving the return of the strategic plateau is not reached with Israel, Army Radio reported. A group calling itself the Syrian Committee for the Freedom of the Golan said it would take steps to regain control of the territory, adding that Israel has not shown willingness to achieve peace or to return what they called "Syrian land."
US to send ambassador to Damascus (24.06.2009)
(Source:BBC / UK)
Washington has confirmed it is to send an ambassador to Damascus, ending a four-year diplomatic absence in Syria.
Security Council extends UN force in Golan Heights for further six months (23.06.2009)
(Source:UN News / International)
The Security Council today extended for another six months the mandate of the United Nations force in the Golan Heights that has been tasked with supervising the disengagement accord between Syrian and Israeli forces after their 1973 war.
Ban recommends UN force in Golan Heights be extended for six months (12.06.2009)
(Source:UN News / International)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended that the Security Council extend the mandate of the United Nations mission observing the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights until the end of December. In a report to the Council that was released today, Mr. Ban said that the situation in the Golan Heights has remained generally quiet and that the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has continued to perform its functions effectively.
Assad reaffirms peace objective (23.05.2009)
(Source:Al Jazeera / Qatar)
Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria, has restated his country's willingness to achieve peace in the Middle East. But he has described Israel as "a major obstacle towards peace". He made the comments in his address to a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Damascus on Saturday.
Peres: If Assad wants Israel-Syria peace, why is he shy? (17.05.2009)
(Source:Haaretz / Israel)
President Shimon Peres on Sunday urged his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Assad, to agree to engage in direct peace negotiations with Israel. … Israel and Syria conducted indirect peace negotiations through Turkish mediators last year. But Syria suspended them over Israel's war in Gaza in December and January. Peres said the Syrians have been trying to get the United States involved as an intermediary in the indirect talks.
Syria willing to resume talks as soon as Israel is ready (13.05.2009)
(Source:Haaretz / Israel)
Damascus is prepared to resume indirect peace negotiations with Israel and is waiting for the latter to take initiative, Syria's newly appointed ambassador to Turkey said on Tuesday. On his first official visit to Turkey, Nadil Kabalan thanked Ankara for its "decent role" in mediating the negotiations, and urged continued participation.
Netanyahu rules out Israeli withdrawal from Golan (11.05.2009)
(Source:The Daily Star / Lebanon)
The new Israeli government will not cede the strategic Golan Heights for the sake of peace with Syria, a senior official quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as telling his cabinet on Sunday. The announcement comes after heated debate among ministers about the wisdom of pursuing the indirect contacts with Syria via Turkey launched by the former government of Ehud Olmert.
Obama committed to Syrian-Israeli agreement (10.05.2009)
(Source:Haaretz / Israel)
The United States told Syria on Thursday it was committed to seeking a peace deal between the Syrian government and Israel, a main objective for Damascus in its rapprochement with Washington. "We conveyed ... President Obama's sincere commitment to pursue Arab-Israeli peace on all tracks, including on the Syrian-Israeli track," senior State Department official Jeffrey Feltman said after meeting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem in Syria.
Israel rejects Golan pullout before talks (27.04.2009)
(Source:The Daily Star / Lebanon)
Israel's foreign minister said Sunday that he was willing to sit down immediately with Syria to talk peace if there would be no preconditions, just days after saying that Damascus was not a partner for peace. Syria recently said it would be willing to resume indirect peace talks with the new Israeli government as long as they focused on a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights.
Assad: Syria still believes in peace with Israel (30.03.2009)
(Source:Haaretz / Israel)
Syrian President Bashar Assad told the weekly magazine the New Yorker that though it may take some time, Syria still believes in the power of serious dialogue to produce a lasting peace with Israel.
Turkey willing to revive Israel-Syria talks: Prime Minister (27.03.2009)
(Source:Middle East Times / USA)
Turkey is ready to mediate between Israel and Syria if the two agree to resume stalled indirect talks, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying Friday. Turkey mediated four rounds of indirect talks between Israel and Syria last year, but the process was suspended in December after the Jewish state launched a deadly offensive in the Gaza Strip.
'Clear U.S. stance crucial to progress in Syria-Israel talks' (25.03.2009)
(Source:Haaretz / Israel)
A clear United States position on Israel-Syria peace negotiations is essential to progress in the talks, Syrian President Bashar Assad was quoted as saying by a Lebanese daily on Wednesday. … Assad also reiterated his assertion that Syria would engage in peace talks with any Israeli government, whatever its political orientation.