Guterres Warns Against Dangers of Escalation on Disengagement Agreement

A member of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) looks through binoculars at Mount Bental, an observation post in the Golan Heights that overlooks the Syrian side of the Qunietra crossing August 31, 2014. REUTERS/Baz Ratner

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the Security Council to warn Israel, Syria and regional powers, on what he called the “threats of escalation” on the long-standing cease-fire between the two countries.

Asharq Al-Awsat received a copy of Guterres’ latest report to the members of the Security Council on the work of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights, in which he expressed “deep concern” over military activities in the area of UNDOF operations during the reporting period.

He pointed out that heavy artillery and aerial bombardment, which has sharply increased in July on the Bravo (Syrian) side, as well as the firing of missiles and rockets from the Alpha (Israeli) side towards the buffer zone on July 3, 13 and 24, have put the Disengagement Agreement at risk.

Guterres urged the two sides to “exercise maximum restraint at all times” and called on the members of the Security Council to support efforts to sensitize both parties and regional sponsors to the risks of escalation and the need to maintain the long-standing cease-fire between Israel and Syria.

The UN secretary-general emphasized the importance that the two sides “remain in contact with the UNDOF to prevent any escalation of the situation across the ceasefire line.”

He added that all violations of the ceasefire line would increase tensions between the signatories of the disengagement agreement and undermine the progress towards stability in the region.

While he pointed to the cessation of military activity by the Syrian armed forces and the various armed groups, including terrorist groups, he underlined “the continued presence of the Syrian armed forces” in the buffer zone, stressing that only the members of UNDOF should be present in that area.

Guterres urged all parties to the Syrian conflict to stop military actions throughout the country, and to remove all military equipment from the area of separation.

The Israeli forces should refrain from firing across the ceasefire line, he said, expressing his concern about the continued presence of unauthorized weapons and equipment in the area of arms control on the Alpha side.