The United Nations issued a warning on Monday regarding Israeli military operations in the Golan Heights buffer zone, stating that such actions could violate the 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria. The UN’s concern was raised after reports emerged of Israeli army activities in the area, which has been under international monitoring by the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) since the agreement’s signing.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed that UN peacekeepers had informed Israeli officials that their military presence in the buffer zone would breach the 1974 agreement. The agreement mandates that both Israel and Syria maintain a separation of forces in the region, with no military activities allowed in the buffer zone. Despite this, Dujarric noted that UNDOF had observed Israeli troops operating within the area, with reports of personnel stationed at multiple locations.
The Israeli military justified its presence in the area as a temporary defensive measure. Israeli officials claimed they had entered the zone to protect it from non-state armed groups, which had been observed at checkpoints within the region. Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon further explained that the army’s actions were “limited and temporary,” intended solely to safeguard Israel’s security and prevent further infiltration by armed groups. He emphasized that Israel was not intervening in Syria’s internal conflict but was focused on defending its borders.
The 1974 agreement, which followed the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, established a ceasefire between Israel and Syria, including provisions for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas it had occupied, including Mount Hermon and Quneitra. The agreement also created a 25-square-kilometer buffer zone, monitored by UNDOF, which has overseen the peacekeeping efforts in the region since its inception.
With tensions rising amid Syria’s ongoing internal conflict, the UN stressed the importance of maintaining stability in the region and upholding the terms of the agreement to avoid further escalation.
