UN sounds alarm at Israel’s ‘severe violations’ at key buffer zone with Syria

UN peacekeepers say they have observed ‘severe violations’

The UN peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights has expressed alarm at what it calls “severe violations” by Israel of the decades-long ceasefire agreement with Syria, in a rare public rebuke of the Israeli government. A UN report, seen by the Guardian, found that Israeli forces had repeatedly entered the buffer zone between the two countries without authorisation and had also carried out airstrikes in the area, which is supposed to be demilitarised.

The findings are likely to increase tensions between Israel and Syria, which have been in a state of war since 1948. The Golan Heights was captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and has been occupied by the Israeli military ever since. Syria has repeatedly called for the return of the territory, but Israel has refused to give it up.

UN observers have witnessed 'severe violations'

The UN peacekeeping force, known as UNDOF, has been deployed in the Golan Heights since 1974 and is responsible for monitoring the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria. In its latest report, UNDOF said that it had observed “severe violations” of the agreement by Israel on a number of occasions.

In one incident, on 12 January, Israeli forces entered the buffer zone without authorisation and remained there for several hours. In another incident, on 23 January, Israeli aircraft carried out airstrikes in the buffer zone, which is supposed to be demilitarised.

UNDOF said that the Israeli violations had “the potential to escalate tensions between the parties” and called on Israel to “respect the ceasefire agreement and refrain from any further violations”.