UN: Russia Can't Take Part in Golan Heights Force

Arutz Sheva ^ | 8/6/13 | Elad Benari

[Eleutheria5]

The United Nations said on Friday that Russia cannot send troops to the Golan Heights peacekeeping force, after President Vladimir Putin said he was ready to bolster the force, AFP reported.

Putin offered troops after Austria decided to withdraw its 377 soldiers from the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) between Syria and Israel because of growing spillover from the Syria conflict.

However, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said later on Friday that Russia was banned from taking part in the force because it is one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

"We appreciate the consideration that Russia has given to provide troops on the Golan. However, the disengagement agreement and its protocol between Syria and Israel does not allow for the participation of permanent members of the security council in UNDOF," Nesirky told reporters, according to AFP.

On Thursday, Austria said it was pulling its United Nations peacekeeping force from the Golan Heights. Austria accounts for about 380 of the 1,000-strong UN force monitoring the Israel-Syria ceasefire line in the Golan Heights.

“Freedom of movement in the area de facto no longer exists. The uncontrolled and immediate danger to Austrian soldiers has risen to an unacceptable level," the Austrian chancellor, Werner Faymann, and his deputy, Michael Spindelegger, said in a joint statement.

Austria’s decision to withdraw its troops from the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which has been monitoring the ceasefire line since 1974, came after Syrian rebels briefly seized the only crossing along the Israel-Syria ceasefire line on the Golan, before regime forces recaptured it using tanks.

.....

[Eleutheria5]

Syrians, Hizbollah, Jordan, Egypt, Hamas, NPFLP, Al Akhsa, etc., I can take. But who invited the F@#$@#$#ing UN along? Peace-keeping: what they do until real trouble starts. Then they either bugger out as they did in the Sinai in '67, cower in their bunkers, or side with the terrorists, as they've done in Lebanon more than once. But oh, no, Russia can't be part of this farce. That would be against the rules./s

[tbw2]

I don’t think there is much the UN could do.

[TurkeyLurkey]

I have a question...in this article posted here Thursday,

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3027898/posts,

how were rebels able to seize this “UN operated border crossing” between Israel and Syria? Did the UN forces just abandon the crossing?

This is a most strategic place. I know Israel is ready.

[silverleaf]

so who is uninvited to surround Israel - Gog or Magog?

[jjotto]

Sometimes the media is honest and calls them “UN observers”.

[Eleutheria5]

Gog, King of the Magog, I suppose.

[Eleutheria5]

Probably went to type a strongly-worded report, had a computer malfunction, so went to Geneva to get it fixed. But that does not constitute abandoning their posts. No, far from it. They will be back to find some serious facts and write more reports, on new computers. So don’t anybody do anything while they’re away./s

[Psiman]

“Strategic” doesn’t begin to describe the value of Heights - they absolutely dominate the surrounding terrain.

Putting Russians on guard would just allow them to turn the area over to their buddy Assad.

[TurkeyLurkey]

I’m not talking about the heights, I’m talking about the outpost—that’s why it is a strategic place.