The United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) is an organization founded on 29 May 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Its primary task was providing the military command structure to the peacekeeping forces in the Middle East to enable the peacekeepers to observe and maintain the ceasefire, and as may be necessary in assisting the parties to the Armistice Agreements in the supervision of the application and observance of the terms of those Agreements. The command structure of the UNTSO was maintained to cover the later peacekeeping organisations of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The first United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) was established by United Nations General Assembly to secure an end to the Suez Crisis with resolution 1001 (ES-I) on 7 November 1956. The force was developed in large measure as a result of efforts by UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and a proposal and effort from Canadian Minister of External Affairs Lester B. Pearson, who would later win the Nobel Peace Prize for it. The General Assembly had approved a plan submitted by the Secretary-General which envisaged the deployment of UNEF on both sides of the armistice line. The Second United Nations Emergency Force deployed from October 1973 to July 1979.
The three-line United Nations Security Council Resolution 338, adopted on October 22, 1973, called for a ceasefire in the Yom Kippur War in accordance with a joint proposal by the United States and the Soviet Union. The resolution stipulated a cease fire to take effect within 12 hours of the adoption of the resolution. The "appropriate auspices" was interpreted to mean American or Soviet rather than UN auspices. This third clause helped to establish the framework for the Geneva Conference (1973) held in December 1973.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 339 was adopted on 23 October 1973 in order to bring a ceasefire in the Yom Kippur War where Resolution 338 two days before had failed.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 350, adopted on 31 May 1974, established the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, to monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Syria in the wake of the Yom Kippur War. UNDOF was initially established for a period of six months, but has had its mandate renewed by subsequent resolutions.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 259, adopted on September 27, 1968, concerned with the welfare of the inhabitants of the Arab territories then occupied by Israel after the Six-Day War, the Council requested the Secretary-General send a Special Representative to report on the implementation of resolution 237. The Council requested that Israel receive and co-operate with the Special Representative and that the Secretary-General should be afforded all co-operation in order to implement the present resolution.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 340 was adopted on October 25, 1973, during the Yom Kippur War. It was passed after the Security Council was informed of the apparent failure of UNSCR 338 and UNSCR 339 to end the fighting.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 341, adopted on October 27, 1973, after the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Resolution 340, the Council decided that the Peacekeeping Force would be established for a six-month period and would be continued thereafter if the Council wished it to do so.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 346, adopted on April 8, 1974, thanked the nations who contributed to the emergency force established in resolution 340 and agreed with the opinion of the Secretary-General; that the separation of the Egyptian and Israeli forces was only the beginning to a peaceful settlement of the issue and called upon member states to continue to support the emergency force.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 362 was adopted by the U.N. on October 23, 1974. The Security Council decided that, although the Middle East remained quiet, the situation was still volatile, and therefore this Security Council resolution extended the mandate of the United Nations Emergency Force for another six months, until April 24, 1975. The Council commended the Force and those governments supplying men to it for their contributions and expressed its confidence that the Force would be maintained with maximum efficiency and economy. The Resolution also reaffirmed that the Force must be able to function militarily in the whole Egypt-Israel sector of operations without differentiation regarding the UN status of the various contingents.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 363, adopted on November 29, 1974, after considering a report by the Secretary-General regarding the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, the Council noted the efforts made to establish a durable and just peace in the Middle East and expressed its concern over the prevailing state of tension in the area. The Council reaffirmed that the agreements on disengagement of forces were only a step toward peace and called upon all the parties concerned to implement immediately resolution 338, decided to renew the mandate of the Force for another six months and decided that the Secretary-General would submit a report at the end of that period regarding developments in the situation and measures taken to implement resolution 338.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 369, adopted on May 28, 1975, expressed concern over the prevailing state of tensions between Israel and Syria and reaffirmed that the two previous agreements on disengagements of forces were only a step towards the implementation of resolution 338. The resolution then decided to call upon the parties concerned to immediately implement resolution 338, renewed the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for another 6 months and requested the Secretary-General submit a report on the situation at the end of those 6 months.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 371, adopted on July 24, 1975, recalling statements from officials of the Arab Republic of Egypt and a report by the Secretary-General regarding the United Nations Emergency Force, the Council expressed its concern at the lack of progress toward a lasting peace in the Middle East.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 378, adopted on October 23, 1975, considered a report by the Secretary General and noted the developments in the situation in the Middle East. The Secretary General viewed any relaxation in the search for peace at that time to be especially dangerous and urged for a resolution to the situation, namely through the adaption of the plan laid out in resolution 338.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 381, adopted on November 30, 1975, considered a report by the Secretary-General regarding the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and noted the discussions the Secretary-General had with all the concerned parties to the Middle East situation. The council expressed its concern over the continuing tension in the area and decided to:
United Nations Security Council resolution 529, adopted on 18 January 1983, after recalling resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 508 (1982), 509 (1982) and 519 (1982), as well as studying the report by the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Council decided to extend the mandate of UNIFIL until 19 July 1983.
United Nations Security Council resolution 536, adopted on 18 July 1983, after recalling resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 508 (1982), 509 (1982) and 520 (1982), as well as studying the report by the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Council decided to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a further three months until 19 October 1983.
United Nations Security Council resolution 538, adopted on 18 October 1983, after recalling resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 508 (1982), 509 (1982) and 520 (1982), as well as studying the report by the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Council decided to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a further six months until 19 April 1984.
United Nations Security Council resolution 561, adopted on 17 April 1985, after recalling previous resolutions on the topic, as well as studying the report by the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) approved in 426 (1978), the Council decided to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a further six months until 19 October 1985.
The second United Nations Emergency Forces was established by United Nations General Assembly, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 340 (1973), to supervise the ceasefire between Egyptian and Israeli forces at the end of Yom Kippur War, and following of the agreement of 18 January 1974 and 4 September 1975, to supervise the redeployment of Egyptian and Israeli forces and to man and control the buffer zones established under those agreements.
