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UN Security Council extends mandate of mission for Israel, Syria disengagement

21 December 2011 21:40 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution to renew the mandate of the UN force in charge of maintaining a ceasefire between Israel and Syria, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

UN Security Council Resolution 2028, adopted at a council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, "decides to renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for a period of six months, that is, until 30 June 2012."

Founded in May 1974, UNDOF’s mission is to monitor the ceasefire and disengagement agreements negotiated after a war and continuing tensions between Israel and Syria.

In resolution 2028, the council expressed "grave concern at the serious events that occurred in UNDOF’s area of operations on 15 May and 5 June that put the long-held ceasefire in jeopardy."

On May 15 and June 5, demonstrations occurred in the UNDOF area of operations commemorating the anniversaries of Al-Nakba and An- Naksa, respectively, resulting in an unconfirmed number of civilian casualties. The Golan Heights Druze village of Majdal Shams became a flash point for protests against Israel on these anniversaries because of its location on the border with Syria.

The council called on all parties in the two countries to " cooperate fully with the operations of UNDOF and to ensure the security of as well as unhindered and immediate access for the United Nations personnel carrying our their mandate, in conformity with existing agreements."