So began the first peacekeeping operation in the history of the United Nations, officially named the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization or UNTSO. The first group of UN military observers arrived between 11 and 14 June 1948, and were deployed in Palestine and some areas of the neighbouring Arab countries. However, 29 May 1948 is considered as the start of the operation, since on that day the Security Council, in its resolution 50, decided to deploy military observers, with the mandate to assist the UN Mediator in the supervision of the truce between Israel and Arab forces.

After a four-week truce expired, and a large-scale fighting erupted again between Israeli and Arab forces, the Council, in its resolution 54 of 15 July 1948, ordered a ceasefire of indefinite duration. The second group of military observers were deployed to each Arab Army and each Israeli armed group, as well as in Jerusalem, the coast, ports and airports of the truce area. They also accompanied convoys between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

With the conclusion of four General Armistice Agreements between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, in 1949, UNTSO's function was extended to assist the parties in supervising the application and observance of those Agreements. UNTSO also became an autonomous operation, officially a subsidiary organ of the Security Council, with the Chief of Staff assuming command.

Fifty years later, UNTSO's 152 military observers, supported by United Nations international and local civilian staff, are still deployed throughout the region and their mandate has not been changed since. They continue to observe and maintain the unconditional ceasefire ordered by the Council, pending the final peace settlement, and to assist the parties, as may be necessary, in the supervision and observance of the terms of the Armistice Agreements. With headquarters in Jerusalem, and offices in Beirut and Damascus, it operates in the areas of Southern Lebanon, the Golan Heights and Sinai.

Methods of Operation

Military observers assigned to the Israel-Syria sector are attached to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and carry out their tasks under the operational control of the UNDOF commander, but remain under the command of UNTSO's Chief of Staff. Operating out of Tiberias (Israel), Damascus and Camp Faquar (Syria), they continue to man 11 observation posts located near the area of separation on the Golan Heights and in the vicinity of the lines on both sides, and they conduct fortnightly inspections of the areas of limitation in armaments and forces provided for under the disengagement agreement of 1974.

The observers in the Lebanon-Israel sector are assigned to assist the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the fulfilment of its tasks and are placed under the operational control of the commander of UNIFIL, but also remain under the command of UNTSO's Chief of Staff. The Security Council stipulated, however, that the military observers of UNTSO would continue to function on the Armistice Demarcation Line after the termination of the mandate of UNIFIL.

At present, they operate from Naqoura (South Lebanon), maintain five observation posts along the Lebanese side of the Armistice Demarcation Line, conduct patrols and carry out liaison duties with parties active in and around the UNIFIL area of operation.

UNTSO observers in the Egypt-Israel sector are based in Ismailia (Egypt) and conduct patrols along the Suez Canal and throughout the Sinai peninsula except for an area under the independent (non-UN) Multinational Force and Observers (MFO). In addition, UNTSO has been maintaining the machinery for the supervision of the Armistice Agreements in those sectors where no peaceful settlement has been achieved.

The Chief of the UNTSO office in Beirut and Damascus is the nominal Chairman of the Israel-Lebanon and Israel-Syria Mixed Armistice Commissions, respectively. Although, Israel denounced the Armistice Agreements with Lebanon and Syria after the war of 1967, the United Nations position has been that there is no provision in the Agreements for unilateral termination of their application.

Please use this version of the article for printing.

Next Page of this article

Count Folke Bernadotte, United Nations Mediator in Palestine, announced tonight that Jews and Arabs have agreed unconditionally to a four-week armistice. The announcement was made in a message from the UN Mediator to Trygve Lie, United Nations Secretary-General. Mr Lie said that plans are being rushed to insure strict observance of the cease-fire. The arrangements call for France, Belgium and the United States to supply both vessels and military observers. He said each country had been asked to send twenty-one military men. —The Herald Tribune,     10 June 1948