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the Middle East from its earliest years. It is an issue which has (1948) , called for a cessation of hostilities in Palestine and
claimed a great deal of the Organization’s time and attention. decided that the truce should be supervised by the UN
Over the years, in response to the various conflicts there, the Mediator, with the assistance of a group of military observers.
United Nations has formulated principles for a peaceful The first group of military observers, which has become
settlement and established a number of peacekeeping known as the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
operations. In fact, it is an issue out of which the concept of (UNTSO), arrived in the region in June 1948. In August 1949,
United Nations peacekeeping evolved. The first such the Security Council, by its resolution 73 (1949) assigned
operation, an unarmed observer mission, was created in the new functions to UNTSO in line with four Armistice
Middle East in 1948; the first of the United Nations Agreements between Israel and the four neighbouring Arab
peacekeeping forces was also created in the Middle East in countries – Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab
1956. Republic. UNTSO's activities thus were spread over the
territory within five States in the region.
Set up in May 1948, UNTSO was the first ever peacekeeping
operation established by the United Nations. Since then, Following the wars of 1956, 1967 and 1973, the functions of
UNTSO military observers have remained in the Middle East the UNTSO military observers have changed from time to time
to monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent in light of changing circumstances, but they remained in the
isolated incidents from escalating and assist other UN area, acting as go-betweens for the hostile parties and as the
peacekeeping operations in the region to fulfill their respective means by which isolated incidents could be contained and
mandates. prevented from escalating into major conflicts.
In November 1947, the United Nations General Assembly UNTSO personnel have also been available at short notice to
endorsed a plan for the partition of Palestine, providing for the form the nucleus of some other peacekeeping operations
creation of an Arab State and a Jewish State, with Jerusalem to worldwide. The availability of UNTSO's military observers for
be placed under international status. The plan was not accepted almost immediate deployment after the Security Council had
by the Palestinian Arabs and Arab States. acted to create a new operation has been an enormous
contributory factor to the success of those operations.
On 14 May 1948, the United Kingdom relinquished its
mandate over Palestine and the State of Israel was proclaimed. In the Middle East, groups of UNTSO military observers are
On the following day, the Palestinian Arabs, assisted by Arab today attached to the peacekeeping forces in the area:
States, opened hostilities against Israel. the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force
(UNDOF) in the Golan Heights and the United Nations The IDF captured Government House and UNTSO personnel
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). A group of observers were evacuated. UNTSO established a temporary HQ at the
remains in Sinai to maintain a United Nations presence in that President Hotel and at a convent in Ein Kerem; and then later
peninsula. Currently, UNTSO maintains its headquarters in at the YMCA hotel in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem with its liaison offices in Beirut (Lebanon), Ismailia
After considerable international pressure HQ UNTSO was
(Egypt) and Damascus (Syria).
allowed to re-occupy Government House on 24 August 1967.
Since then, UNTSO has performed various tasks entrusted to it At 2:25 pm on that day, the United Nations flag was once
by the Security Council, including the supervision of the again raised on the flag pole atop Government House.
General Armistice Agreements of 1949 between Israel and its
Arab neighbors; the observation of the ceasefire in the Suez Head of Mission and Chief of Staff - Major General
Canal area and the Golan Heights following the Arab-Israeli Arthur David Gawn (New Zealand)
war of June 1967; and the assistance to the UN Interim Force
in South Lebanon to fulfill its mandate. Method of financing: United Nations regular budget