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| Photo: REUTERS |
Τη διακοπή κάθε στρατιωτικής δραστηριότητας εκ μέρους της συριακής κυβέρνησης και των αντικαθεστωτικών δυνάμεων στα κατεχόμενα Υψίπεδα του Γκολάν ζητά το Συμβούλιο Ασφαλείας του ΟΗΕ στο ψήφισμά του, με το οποίο ανανεώνει την αποστολή της ειρηνευτικής δύναμης που επιτηρεί επί δεκαετίες την εκεχειρία Ισραήλ-Συρίας.
Η ειρηνευτική αποστολή παρατείνεται για άλλους έξι μήνες και υπό το φως των συνθηκών οι κυανόκρανοι αποκτούν βαρύτερο οπλισμό και αυξάνονται στον μέγιστο προβλεπόμενο αριθμό των 1.250 ανδρών.
Στην απόφαση, η οποία ελήφθη ομόφωνα, τονίζεται συγκεκριμένα πως είναι αναγκαίο οι κυανόκρανοι, που ως σήμερα φέρουν μόνον ελαφρύ οπλισμό, να έχουν καλύτερα μέσα προστασίας.
Σύμφωνα με διπλωμάτες, ενδέχεται να λάβουν εξοπλισμό όπως αλεξίσφαιρα γιλέκα, τεθωρακισμένα οχήματα μεταφοράς προσωπικού και πολυβόλα μεγάλου διαμετρήματος.
Παράλληλα, η ειρηνευτική δύναμη (UNDOF) πρόκειται να αυξηθεί από 911 άνδρες σε 1.250, που είναι και μέγιστος προβλεπόμενος αριθμός κυανόκρανων για την αποστολή επιτήρησης της εκεχειρίας που συνήφθη το 1973 και επισημοποιήθηκε το 1977.
- Τα Υψίπεδα του Γκολάν κατελήφθησαν από το Ισραήλ στον πόλεμο του 1967 και τυπικά οι δύο χώρες παραμένουν σε κατάσταση πολέμου. Βάσει της συμφωνίας, τα συριακά στρατεύματα απαγορεύεται να εισέρχονται στην αποστρατιωτικοποιημένη ζώνη.
Στις αρχές Ιουνίου ο συριακός εμφύλιος «πέρασε» πρόσκαιρα στο Γκολάν με δυνάμεις των ανταρτών να θέτουν υπό τον έλεγχό τους μεθοριακό πέρασμα μεταξύ Ισραήλ και Συρίας στην αποστρατιωτικοποιημένη ζώνη που διοικείται από τον ΟΗΕ.
Το σημείο διέλευσης της Κουνέιτρα, επί της γραμμής εκεχειρίας, ανακατελήφθη από τα στρατεύματα του καθεστώτος του Μπασάρ αλ-Άσαντ έπειτα από σφοδρή σύγκρουση με τη συμμετοχή αρμάτων μάχης και τεθωρακισμένων.
Δύο κυανόκρανοι τραυματίστηκαν κατά την κατάληψη του μεθοριακού περάσματος από τους αντάρτες, ενώ το προηγούμενο διάστημα κυανόκρανοι είχαν κρατηθεί αρκετές φορές στα χέρια ανταρτών πριν απελευθερωθούν.
Η Αυστρία προχώρησε στην απόσυρση των 380 ανδρών της που αποτελούσαν και το μεγαλύτερο απόσπασμα της ειρηνευτικής δύναμης αφότου απειλήθηκαν οι θέσεις τους. Τους αυστριακούς κυανόκρανους πρόκειται να αντικαταστήσουν στρατιώτες από τη Φίτζι και θα αναζητηθούν, επίσης, πρόσθετα στρατεύματα ώστε να φθάσει ο συνολικός αριθμός της δύναμης τους 1.250 άνδρες.
Τα διασυνοριακά επεισόδια της 6ης Ιουνίου στην αποστρατιωτικοποιημένη ζώνη στο Γκολάν είχαν σημειωθεί μία ημέρα αφότου τα στρατεύματα του καθεστώτος Άσαντ, με τη στήριξη δυνάμεων της σιιτικής Χεζμπολάχ του Λιβάνου, έθεσαν υπό τον έλεγχό τους τη στρατηγικής σημασίας πόλη Κουσέιρ έπειτα από μάχη εβδομάδων.
Η ανάμειξη των ανδρών της Χεζμπολάχ στο συριακό εμφύλιο σε συνδυασμό με την έξαρση βίας κοντά στη γραμμή εκεχειρίας με το Ισραήλ στο Γκολάν έχουν ενισχύσει τους φόβους ότι η σύρραξη θα βγει εκτός των συνόρων της Συρίας.
Το Ισραήλ ανησυχεί ότι το Γκολάν μπορεί να μετατραπεί σε ορμητήριο για επιθέσεις εναντίον ισραηλινών στόχων είτε από τζιχαντιστές που μάχονται για να ανατρέψουν το καθεστώς του Μπασάρ αλ-Άσαντ, είτε από μαχητές της Χεζμπολάχ που πολεμούν στο πλευρό του Άσαντ.
http://www.tovima.gr
27/6/13
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UN Security Council renews peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights ...
ReplyDeleteThe unanimous agreement will see UN forces remain for a further six months along the Israeli-Syrian border; move comes amidst fears that Syrian Civil War spillover will turn into a violent conflict.
UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council renewed for six months on Thursday a peacekeeping mission in the Israeli Golan Heights monitoring a decades-old truce between Israel and Syria that has been shaken by a spillover of violence from Syria's civil war.
The unanimously agreed resolution stresses the need for the peacekeepers, who currently just carry handguns, to boost their protection. Diplomats said troops would likely now get equipment such as flak jackets, armored vehicles and machine guns.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in a 1967 war, and the countries technically remain at war. Syrian troops are not allowed in an area of separation under a 1973 ceasefire formalized in 1974.
UNDOF monitors the area of separation, a narrow strip of land running 45 miles (70 km) from Mount Hermon on the Lebanese border to the Yarmouk River frontier with Jordan.
The Security Council resolution "stresses the need to enhance the safety and security of UNDOF" and endorses recommendation of "further adjustments to the posture and operations of the mission, as well as to implement additional mitigation measures to enhance the self-defense capabilities."
Peacekeepers have been caught in the middle of fighting between Syrian troops and rebels in the area of separation, which had been largely quiet since the ceasefire. Stray shells and bullets also have landed on the Israeli-controlled side and Israeli troops have fired into Syria in response.......http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/UN-Security-Council-renews-peacekeeping-mission-in-the-Golan-Heights-318011
27/6/13
UN force in Golan Heights must have resources to fulfil mandate, says Security Council....
ReplyDelete27 June 2013 – The Security Council today extended the United Nations peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights for another six months, and requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to ensure that the mission – which has faced numerous threats to its safety in recent months as well as troop withdrawals – has the required capacity and resources to fulfil its mandate.
In a unanimously adopted resolution, the Council extended the mandate of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which monitors the 1974 disengagement accord between Syria and Israel after their 1973 war, until 31 December 2013.
In recent months, the mission has faced a spate of security risks and operational challenges – including detention of UN personnel – as a result of the spill-over from the ongoing crisis in Syria, where Government forces and opposition groups have been engaged in a conflict spanning more than two years and which has already claimed more than 93,000 lives.
In addition, Austria – which contributes about one-third of UNDOF's troops – announced earlier this month that it is withdrawing its soldiers, reportedly citing a lack of freedom of movement and an unacceptable level of danger to its personnel.
The Council today strongly condemned the incidents threatening the safety and security of UN personnel in recent months, and called on all parties to the Syrian conflict to “cease military actions in the UNDOF area of operation.”
The resolution “underscores” that there should be no military activity of any kind in the area of separation, including military operations by the Syrian armed forces. In addition, it “underlines” that there should be no military activity of the armed opposition groups in the area of separation.
In his latest report on UNDOF, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that recent clashes in the Golan Heights area are threatening the decades-long ceasefire between Syria and Israel and putting civilians and UN personnel at risk.
“Given the evolving security situation in the UNDOF area of operation, it is necessary to consider further adjustments to the posture and operations of the mission,” Mr. Ban wrote. This includes enhancing the mission's self-defence capabilities and boosting its force strength by about 300 to some 1,250 troops.
The Council today endorsed the Secretary-General's recommendations to consider further adjustments to the “posture and operations” of the mission, as well as to implement additional mitigation measures to enhance the self-defence capabilities of UNDOF, including maximizing the force strength and improving its self-defence equipment.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45286&Cr=golan%20heights&Cr1=#.Ucx_bdiIzJc
27/6/13
UN extends UNDOF mandate, calls to up peacekeeper safety...
ReplyDeleteSecurity Council endorses reccomendation to enhance self-defense capabilities among blue hats stationed on Syria-Israel border...
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The UN Security Council demanded a halt to all military activity by the Syrian government and opposition fighters on the Golan Heights Thursday and called for stepped up measures to protect UN peacekeepers who have been caught in crossfire.
A resolution adopted unanimously by the council extends the mandate of the UN force monitoring the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights until Dec. 31. The force, known as UNDOF, was established following intensified firing on the Israel-Syria border after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and Syria wants the land returned in exchange for peace.....http://www.timesofisrael.com/un-extends-undof-mandate-calls-to-up-peacekeeper-safety/
27/6/13
U.S. starts sending arms for Syrian rebels: media...
ReplyDeleteWASHINGTON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA) has started sending weapons to Jordan with a view to arming small groups of vetted Syrian rebels within a month, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
"The CIA is expected to spend up to three weeks bringing light arms and possibly antitank missiles to Jordan," the newspaper said in its report, citing diplomats and U.S. officials briefed on the plans.
"The agency plans to spend roughly two weeks more vetting an initial group of fighters and making sure they know how to use the weapons that they are given, clearing the way for the first U.S.- armed rebels to enter the fight," the report said.
It said the shipments, training plus a parallel push to mobilize arms deliveries from European and Arab allies are being timed to allow "a concerted push" by the rebels starting by early August, as the rebels are losing ground in their fighting against the government forces.
U.S. President Barack Obama authorized the shipment of small arms and ammunition to the Syrian rebels in a new covert plan disclosed earlier this month, in a break with his long-held non- lethal-aid-only policy.....http://english.cntv.cn/20130628/100280.shtml
27/6/13
US Senators introduce bill to hinder arm supplies to Syrian oppositon.....
DeleteA group of bipartisan US senators introduced a bill to prevent US President Obama from arming Syrian opposion.
WASHINGTON
A group of bipartisan US senators introduced a bill to prevent US President Barack Obama from supplying arms to the Syrian opposion without congressional aproval.
The bill was introduced by Republicans Chris Gibson and Michelle Bachmann and Democrats Peter Welch and Rick Nolan from the US House and Democrats Tom Udall and Chris Murphy and Republicans Rand Paul and Mike Lee from the Senate.
Senators expressed concern that the US might be dragged into crisis in Syria.
“If we intervene militarily, we will exacerbate the situation,’ Republican Gibson said. "We will not ease the concerns or the suffering there.’’
Democrat Welch said it was vitally important that they recognized the lessons learned from Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Syria is in a brutal and tragic civil war the roots of which go back hundreds of years. To the extent that America can help with humanitarian assistance to ease this tragic refugee crisis, we should do so. But sending military assistance to Syrian rebels, or intervening directly in this conflict, will lead to the Americanization of this Sunni-Shia conflict. If America walks down this path, Congress and the American people should first be part of a vigorous debate. Congress has the constitutional responsibility to authorize any action and it should do its job,” Welch added.
Republican Paul said president’s decision to arm the Syrian opposition was 'incredibly disturbing' adding "I'm opposed to getting involved in the Syrian civil war, I'm opposed to sending arms to the Syrian Islamic rebels, but I'm particularly opposed to doing it with no vote of the people through their representatives."
House Speaker John Boehner told a seperate press conference that it was too soon to discuss such a vote.
"I think that the United States has a strategic interest in what happens in Syria. We all would like to see Assad go. We'd also like to see a democratically elected government there," said Boehner. "And so for our interests and to support our allies in the region, I'm going to continue to work with the president on responsible steps that we can take to protect our interests."
On the resolution, he said, "I don't know that we are ready for that conversation because the president has not suggested any specific steps forward at this point and so there is really nothing yet to vote on."
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/198387--us-senators-introduce-bill-to-hinder-arm-supplies-to-syrian-oppositon
28/6/13
UN demands Syrian government, opposition halt all military activity in Golan Heights....
ReplyDeleteSecurity Council extends mandate of peacekeeping force deployed on Israeli-Syrian border, calls for stepped up measures to protect troops.
The UN Security Council has demanded a halt to all military activity by the Syrian government and opposition fighters on the Golan Heights and called for stepped up measures to protect peacekeepers who have been caught in crossfire.
A resolution adopted unanimously by the council on Thursday extended the mandate of the UN force monitoring the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights until December 31.
The resolution stresses the need for the peacekeepers, who currently just carry hand guns, to boost their protection. Diplomats said troops would likely now get equipment such as flak jackets, armored vehicles and machine guns.
Austria announced earlier this month it would pull out its peacekeepers from the UN force after the Syrian civil war threatened their positions at the Quneitra border crossing.
Syrian rebels and forces loyal to President Bashar Assad battled for control of the only border crossing to Israel on June 6. Rebels first seized the crossing before Assad's forces regained control amid heavy fighting.
The rarely used crossing, in a UN-patrolled demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights, is the only transit point between Syrian and Israeli disengagement lines set in 1974.
The Austrian troops, who completed their withdrawal on Wendesday, are expected to be replaced with units from Fiji, the first of which are scheduled to arrive in Israel by the end of the month before joining the peacekeeping force. Until then the Philippine force, which makes up most of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), will cover the area that was manned by the Austrians.
The UN is seeking additional soldiers to bring the UN force to its authorized strength of 1,250 troops.
The council warned that military activity can escalate Israeli-Syrian tensions.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/un-demands-syrian-government-opposition-halt-all-military-activity-in-golan-heights-1.532416?localLinksEnabled=false
27/6/13