According to reports that surfaced on Shabbos, Israel agreed to re-open the Kunetra crossing that separates Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights. An agreement between Syria, Israel and the United Nations to re-open the crossing was reached after UN peacekeepers decided to take up their mission of maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and vice-versa once again. The U.N. peacekeepers in the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) are tasked with safekeeping the crossing and making sure that civilians are able to pass through from one side to the other.

The mandate of UNDOF was established in a UN Security Council resolution as well as the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria.

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said: “The United States welcomes the reopening of this crossing, which will allow UN peacekeepers to step up their efforts to prevent hostilities in the Golan Heights region. We look to both Israel and Syria to provide UN peacekeepers the access they need as well as assurances of their safety.”

“We also call on Syria to take the necessary steps so UNDOF can safely and effectively deploy and patrol without interference. While this is an important step, all sides must abide by the 1974 Agreement and keep any military forces other than UN peacekeepers out of the area.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)