HAMILTON, Canada
The UN Security Council on Monday extended the mandate of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights for another six months until June 30, 2026.
The resolution, submitted by the US and Russia, drew unanimous support, with all 15 council members voting in favor.
Speaking after the vote, Deputy US Representative to the United Nations Tammy Bruce welcomed the adoption of the resolution and emphasized the "important role" of UNDOF for "upholding peace, security and stability along the Israel-Syria border."
Russia's senior counsellor to the UN, Dina Gilmutdinova, also welcomed the extension of the mandate but called on Israel to follow Syria's footsteps and "exercise restraint, avoiding any unilateral, illegitimate and provocative steps."
"We call on it also to maintain regular contacts with UNDOF to settle any differences which arise," she said, expressing gratitude to the UNDOF mission and its personnel.
Syria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, recalled the UN's disengagement agreement and stressed that anyone who reads the resolution regarding it would understand that "Israel continues to violate every word of that agreement."
Recalling the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights for nearly 60 years, Olabi also noted that the UN General Assembly in early December demanded that Israel withdraw from Syrian territories via a resolution adopted.
Wishing UNDOF personnel a safe year amid "the Israeli recklessness within its area of operations," he said: "Given that Syria was mentioned a couple of weeks ago as part of a new New Year's resolution for the Security Council by a certain delegation, let me share our new New Year's resolution in this context."
"It's an UNDOF force that can operate to fulfill its mandate freely and without being surrounded by Israeli occupation forces from each and every side. And of course, our resolution, although that falls within the realm of wishful for thinking, unfortunately, is an Israel that abides by Security Council resolutions and adheres to international law," he said.
Disengagement agreement
Signed on May 31, 1974, the agreement stipulates Israel’s withdrawal from all of the areas of Mount Hermon it had occupied during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, as well as an area of about 25 square kilometers (9.6 square miles) that included Quneitra and other locations.
The agreement defines the current border between Israel and Syria along with the accompanying military arrangements, creating two separation lines—Israeli (blue) and Syrian (red)—with a buffer zone between them.
UNDOF monitors the agreement, as it is tasked with maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and Syria following the 1973 war.
Since 1974, UNDOF has patrolled the buffer zone between the Israeli- and Syrian-controlled zones.
Israel occupied most of the Golan Heights during the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed the territory in a move never recognized by the international community.