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The US recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory is another sign of the ongoing collapse of the establsihed system of international relations.
The UN Disengagement Observer Force’s (UNDOF) mandate was renewed on December 21st, 2018 to June 30th, 2019. Thus, it’s peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights continues despite the recent US move to recignize Israel’s sovereignty over this territory.
The latest UNDOF report was published on February 28th, underlying that there are on-going issues of numerous violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement of 1974 and UNDOF’s ability to implement its mandate, including the deployment of appropriate technologies as recommended.
“Given Syria’s reassertion of control over areas of separation and the reopening of the Qunaytirah crossing point, UNDOF may be getting close to an eventual full return to the Bravo side. The return of the situation to pre-2014 conditions may cause the Council to consider requesting the Secretary-General to resume a six-month reporting cycle instead of 90 days, as had been the practice until December 2012.”
The report covers a 90-day period between September 15th and November 20th.
The report noted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to fire across the ceasefire line and into the area of separation. UNDOF personnel also continued to observe crossings by unidentified individuals between Lebanon and the Bravo (Syrian) side and from the Bravo side to the Alpha (Israeli) side on a daily basis. The individuals crossing were usually described in the report as shepherds and farmers. The provided data confirms that Israel is the aggressive party in the situation and no misconduct was noted on Syria’s side.
The most recent data provides details into the period between November 21st, 2018 and March 14th, 2019. It noted that the UNDOF peacekeeping mission could achieve little result in the area:
“On 29 November 2018, UNDOF personnel observed heavy explosions and tracer rounds of heavy and anti-aircraft machine guns in the vicinities of Turunjah, in the area of separation, and Camp Faouar. UNDOF personnel were forced to go into shelters. The Syrian authorities informed UNDOF that the military activity was associated with air defence weapons of the Syrian armed forces directed at “hostile targets”. The Israel Defense Forces informed UNDOF that they “had not engaged any targets in the Syrian Arab Republic” and that the remnants of a Syrian anti-aircraft missile had impacted an area 5 km from Camp Ziouani. An UNDOF team, accompanied by the Israel Defense Forces, visited the scene of the impact on the Alpha side (Israeli-occupied Golan) and saw remnants of an anti-aircraft missile.”
Thus, the UNDOF’s presence in the area appears to be more formal move than anything, since no peacekeeping is being established, the representatives hide in shelters and do not have any actual authority on-site.
The US recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory happened on March 25th, which is in the next 90-day period. So a report elaborating on the results of the action would be presented sometime in June, prior to the expiry of the UNDOF mandate on June 30th, 2019.
The 1,000-strong force was dispatched to a buffer zone between Israel and Syria in 1974 to observe a ceasefire, and it is simply doing that – observing the breaches. It should be reminded that in the overwhelming number of cases Israel is the side that carries out any misconduct.
The US on March 27th said that it wished for the UNDOF peacekeeping force to remain in Golan Heights. US Diplomat Rodney Hunter told a Security Council meeting on the Golan that “this announcement does not affect the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, nor do we believe it undermines UNDOF’s mandate in any way.”
“UNDOF continues to have a vital role to play in preserving stability between Israel and Syria, most importantly by ensuring that the area of separation is a buffer zone free from any military presence or activities other than those of UNDOF,” he added.
The council met at Syria’s request to discuss the US decision, which Damascus said was a “flagrant violation” of UN resolutions.
In total, three UN resolutions call for Israel to withdraw from the occupied Golan Heights. Despite that, the US, the permenent UNSC member, said that the decision would bolster Israel’s security and “can contribute to the stability of the entire Middle East” by keeping Syria and its Iranian ally in check.
The EU said they will continue to view the Golan as Israeli-occupied territory and will not follow in Trump’s footsteps.
At the UNSC meeting, Israel’s Envoy Danny Danon criticized anger over the US decision:
“For 19 years, Syria used the Golan as a forward outpost against Israel, and today it’s Iran that wants to put its soldiers on the shore of the Sea of Galilee,” Danon said in a statement.
“Israel won’t allow such a thing ever, and it’s time the international community recognize the fact that the Golan will remain under Israeli sovereignty forever. The United States and Israel will stand as a united front in the face of the hypocrisy and lies.”
The US recognition of the Golan Heights creates a complicated situation in the UNSC as well, since a permanent member recognized it as Israeli territory, while all UN documents have referred to it as a Israeli-occupied territory since 1974.
It is possible also that the US decision was announced at this moment, since the UN is undergoing deep reforms. It wouldn’t be surprising if it would receive a weaker response, simply due to the changes being introduced in the world body.
At the same time, the decision is a stark reminder that international public law is collapsing, mostly due to US conduct, which is also paving the way for other countries to partake in such misconduct. One of the obvious examples of the US unanimously going against international law is the bombing of Yugoslavia.
The UN and its Security Council managed to establish a somewhat peaceful zone in the Golan Heights, but the US decision threatens it profoundly. Syria had little chance of militarily returning its own territory despite the fact that it has all legal rights to do so. But now, that is questionable, despite Syria claiming that it is prepared to employ all necessary means to take its territory back.
A military escalation in the area has also become more likely. This undermines efforts to de-escalate the Syrian conflict even further. The US already called for Syrian forces to withdrawl from the separation line, but is also unlikely to happen.
For a long period of time, the Golan Heights situation was kept balanced by a large number of internationally recognized documents and mechanisms. However, now, these mechanisms seem to be de-fact destroyed.
The US is, in essence, destroying one of the last standing “pillars of international law,” and is in fact creating a global situation in which the only means of settling conflicts is threat of military power and economic sanctions of individuals, businesses and government bodies.
It’s interesting to note that the US action actually goies in contrary to the US’ won stance twards the Crimea issue. Russia officially, and mostly formally, condemned the US recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. However, in fact, Washington just created a precedent for Crimea to be recognized as an official part of Russia on the highest international level.
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What international law? since the Zionist cancer permeated Palestine in 1948, there is only law of the jungle. Only might is right and unless you have nuclear weapons the Americunts and their Zionist masters along with NATO faggots will chew you up. Najibullah, Saddam, Kaddafi recently and many others before them were killed and their countries occupied as they could not fight back, Syria is the latest in their sights. DPRK, Pakistan and other nuclear powers are safe as they can hit back.
I realise arabs are dumb (average IQ of 83) but they cant be serious about invadeing the hights they cant even defeat militants let alone a full force military of a nother nation.
Apparently you kikes are the low IQ ones because you don’t know that:
1. The people of the Levant and most of Iraq are not ethnic Arabs despite their language.
2. Non-European Semetic Jews who are indigenous to Palestine are genetically the closest to the “Arabs” you just mentioned.
blabla
Let’s talk when jews can win a war against the wily Lebanese.
Yes, mano a mano, no nukes or Big Brother interventions. Israel will lose hands down.
That is a racist Jew view and does not conform to reality, Arabs are not dumb as they are Semites and they gave the world most of modern sciences, medicine and even Algebra and numerology. However, Islam and its archaic interpretation has retarded their growth along with corruption and the creation of Israel by imperialist powers in their midst.
You can be “racist” towards arabs since arabs are not a race
You just proved that your IQ is much lower than that.
Interesting new trend in what is certainly the most mind (and everything else) less in the world: racism
Soft economic and infrastructure target abound in the west…hmmm, just one dumb idea, no? I wonder what else the Levant dumbasses and their Persian neighbors can come with…?
Ass-ymetric is the new black (symetric)
great comment.
you must be from Equatorial Guinea.
To whom it may concern I ward to you ancient tribal knowledge
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Post the collapse of USSR, the global power balance has evaporated along with any semblance of international law, the US, Israel and NATO are now out of control and a new equilibrium has to be restored or complete western gangster-ism will take hold and the weak will be eliminated, much like Darwinian world.
but the squatters can’t really do much about it if the rest of the world don’t recognize the golan heights as part of palestine (or the land occupied by the jews). so it’s not worth half of what most people seem to think.
The useless UNDOF ground ‘observing’ mission is over – time to go home, guys. Syria has unfinished business with Israel.
Great news for Russia. All the Russians now have to do whenever the Americans bitch about the Crimea is say two words, Golan Heights. And drop the mic.
is it great news? You think russia need excuses about crimea?
In the Western media? They betcha they need a good excuse, as nobody paid any attention to the Russian side of the story. And now they have a good excuse.
Oh, you mean its bad for Syria and the people of the Golan? I guess so, but its not like anything really has changed in this regard. Israel officially annexed that territory decades ago.
nope I mean exactly what I say russians need no excuse. Excuses is for kids and light headed people who think they have to justify everything they do to their superiors. I know that russians dont have this mentality, or need any excuses especially to the moronic western governments.
Are all you paid trolls from Israel trained to talk through your asses??
What the fok does “Israel officially annexed that territory decades ago” even mean?? What Israel took it upon itself to grant itself the authority to ‘officially annex’ someone elses land? Never heard such crap.
Only thing the squtters did was arrogantly force their way onto Syrian land and plant their asses their and refused to move whilst thumbing their noses at internation law.
Crimea was taken from the defeated Turks anyway and was given to Ukraine by Khrushchev during USSR era. Technically and historically all of Ukraine is Russian land know as Kievan-Rus.
I know history and hence the reason I said what I said. No excuses needed.
That means Russia belongs to Ukraine
Remember that first Netanyahu said that USA must recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel territory. Then, it appears Trump saying that USA recognize Golan Heights as Israel territory ¿ who is given orders to USA ?. On the other hand, what has Syria done to recover this territory ? Really…nothing. Syria is afraid even to bother Israel. Syria hopes is that because of some “miracle,” Israel be destroyed and they could take this land just by walking across it. Well, right now this miracle is further away. Israel settlements on Golan Heights will starts very soon, then, what will Syria do ?
Good. Next step in the Yinon plan is to annex Assad´s part of Syria West of Euphrates which Trump also will recognize while you guys were hoping…………………………..……………….LMAOL.
Empires will take what they wish. See Russia, the US… let’s see whether Taiwan isn’t (an)next.
“Israeli sovereignty” is an oxymoron. Israel has not defined its borders – ever – and its territorial claims are constant and expanding, and its disregard for other countries’ sovereignty is well known. It is this factor that causes all of the instability in the Middle East.
International law began dying the second Streklovs boots touched Crimea.
Putin killed it now Russia is going to be paying the price.
When empires are collapsing, they make all sorts of grandiose statements to cover their impotence.
This is America stuffing a sock in its pants.
China has officially made the USa its bitch, the US demanded all sorts of trade and financial aid, but now has backed down, saying they are delaying their demands until 2025.