Security Council Extends Mandate of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for Additional Six Months, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2530 (2020)

The Security Council, in a 29 June videoconference meeting*, announced its decision to renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan for six months until 31 December and called on Israel and Syria to fully respect the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.

In unanimously adopting resolution 2530 (2020), the Council called on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and prevent any ceasefire breaches.  It also encouraged them to take full advantage of UNDOF’s liaison function to address issues of mutual concern and prevent any escalation along the ceasefire line.

Expressing full support for the Secretary-General’s appointment of Major General Ishwar Hamal of Nepal as Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNDOF (see Press Release SG/A/1949), it called on all groups other than UNDOF to abandon UNDOF positions and to return vehicles, weapons and other equipment belonging to the peacekeepers.

In addition, the Council called on all parties to ensure UNDOF’s freedom of movement, as well as its full utilization of the Quneitra crossing.  It went on to call on them to allow UNDOF to increase its operations on the Bravo side and to lift COVID-19‑related restrictions as soon as sanitary conditions permit.

[Security Council resolutions are currently adopted through a written procedure vote under temporary, extraordinary and provisional measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as set out in a letter (document S/2020/253) by its President for March (China).]

* Based on information received from the Security Council Affairs Division.