The UN Truce Supervision Organization
Mission Mandate
In May 1948, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 50, which authorized the establishment the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) to supervise armistice agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors in the wake of the 1948 war. UNTSO is the UN’s first established and longest-running peacekeeping mission.
The Mission's mandate includes:
• Monitoring ceasefires;
• Supervising armistice agreements;
• Preventing isolated incidents from escalating; and
• Assisting other UN peacekeeping operations in the region.
Headquartered in Jerusalem, the UNTSO operates in five Middle Eastern countries—Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. UNTSO's military observers and administrative staff support the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights. The mission also provides a monitoring team to patrol the Sinai in Egypt and Israel, and maintains liaison offices in Beirut, Lebanon (UNLOB), and Damascus, Syria (UNLOD).
Background
On May 14, 1948, the British relinquished their mandate over Palestine and the State of Israel was declared. Palestinian Arabs and Arab States launched attacks against Israel the next day. Read more || Hide text
How This Affects American Interests
Promotes regional stability. UNTSO Observer Groups are based in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. Each of these groups has different goals, but the overarching mission remains to observe and report any violations of ceasefires and peace agreements and any activities that represent a threat to international peace and security in the region. The international community recognizes UNTSO's significant role in monitoring ceasefires, supervising armistice agreements, and preventing isolated incidents from escalating. More than 20 nations including Australia, Chile, Denmark, France, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the U.S. contribute to UNTSO's military personnel. Their cooperation with other peacekeeping operations makes them a valuable asset in the region. When conflict arose in 2006, for example, UNTSO immediately dispatched military observers to assist UNIFIL in implementing their mandate to patrol the Israel-Lebanon border. UNTSO’s readiness and strategic location afford it the capacity to strengthen peacekeeping efforts across the Middle East.
- Supports conflict resolution. UNTSO’s continued presence demonstrates the international community's interest in achieving a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. UNTSO facilitates conflict resolution, provides humanitarian assistance (especially on the Israel-Lebanon border), and supports regional security in highly volatile areas. This assistance reinforces U.S. diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive peace agreement and ensure regional stability.
Ongoing Challenges
- Disparities in Golan Heights. Nearly 20,000 Israeli settlers live alongside 23,000 Druze in the Golan Heights area. The coexistent populations have opposing outlooks on the future status of the Golan Heights, which could lead to increased tension and instability. Despite these disparities, the Druze and Israelis in this region are generally cooperative and nonviolent.
- Continued tensions in the Middle East. The UNTSO mission continues due to the regional tensions undermining the peace processes necessary to make the Middle East a safe and stable place. Recent civil unrest in Egypt and Syria bring to light their governments’ histories of human rights violations and other abuses; UNTSO helps to report these activities as it becomes aware of them. As countries in the Middle East and neighboring regions struggle with popular uprisings, regime change, and internecine disputes—and as the wake of the Arab Spring spreads to already unstable nations—UNTSO must continue to vigilantly play its observer role.
* Updated November 2011
