Syria and Israel agree to open Golan Heights crossing, Nikki Haley says
US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that Syria and Israel along with UN had agreed to open the Quneitra crossing the Golan Heights after four years of closer followed by the militant attack on UN forces.
Haley said that the opening of crossing will allow the UN peacekeepers to prevent the hostilities in the region and urged both Syria and Israel to ensure the safety of UN Disengagement Observer Force.
Haley said, “Opening of the crossing will allow UN peacekeepers to step up their efforts to prevent hostilities in the Golan Heights region”.
She said, “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”.
Haley: Crossing in #GolanHeights will be reopened https://t.co/vRYYMikxty@nikkihaley pic.twitter.com/xteJUPxW7q
— Press TV (@PressTV) October 13, 2018
Israel occupied Syria’s Golan Heights region in the war of 1967 that is known as the 6-Day war, fought between Israel and Arab allies. Few years later Israel and Arab allies another war in 1973 that is known as Arab-Israeli war. The occupation of Golan Heights by Israel is not accepted by the International community yet.
One after the 1973 was ceasefire was brokered by United Nations came into effect in 1974 and both Syrian and Israeli governments agreed for a buffer zone to be patrolled by the UNDOF.
In 2014 United Nations DOF were attacked by Al-Qaeda linked terrorists, after that the crossing was closed.
Nikki Haley said in her statement urged both countries to stick to the 1974 ceasefire agreement and to “keep any military force other than UN peacekeepers out of the area”.
