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UNTSO: The Future of UN Peacekeeping in the Middle East

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Multidisciplinary Futures of UN Peace Operations

Part of the book series: Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies ((RCS))

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Abstract

This chapter explores the future of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) by examining its long-standing cooperation with UNDOF and UNIFIL, as well as the crucial role played by the Chief Coordinator of UN Peacekeeping in the Middle East. Drawing upon UNTSO's extensive operational experience in managing and coordinating peacekeeping efforts within the Israeli-Arab conflict, this chapter seeks to illuminate the potential applicability of UNTSO’s expertise in other peace operations around the world. By analysing the unique capabilities, institutional memory, and valuable lessons learned from UNTSO’s long-standing engagement in the Middle East, the chapter offers insights into the operation’s continued relevance vis-à-vis the conflict and how it can potentially support future operations worldwide. Despite facing difficult and ever-changing challenges, UNTSO remains an important piece of the UN’s involvement in the Israel-Arab conflict.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    A conversation in 1970 between Miguel Marin, UNTSO Political Advisor and Mrs Siilasvuo, wife of Lt Gen Ensio Siilasvuo, then UNTSO Chief of Staff and later Chief Coordinator of UN Peacekeeping in the Middle East.

  2. 2.

    The UN Emergency Force I (1956–1967) & the UN Emergency Force II (1974–1978) in the Sinai Peninsula, the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights (1974–) and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (1978–).

  3. 3.

    In newer multidimensional operations, the Head of Mission is a civilian.

  4. 4.

    The Jerusalem Headquarters also serves as the liaison office for Jordan.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leiden, The Netherlands

    Diego Salama

Authors
  1. Diego Salama
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Correspondence to Diego Salama .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Law, University of Reading, Reading, UK

    Alexander Gilder

  2. Centre for Trust, Peace, and Social Relations, Coventry University, Coventry, UK

    David Curran

  3. School of Social Sciences and Global Studies, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

    Georgina Holmes

  4. Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra, Ghana

    Fiifi Edu-Afful

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Salama, D. (2023). UNTSO: The Future of UN Peacekeeping in the Middle East. In: Gilder, A., Curran, D., Holmes, G., Edu-Afful, F. (eds) Multidisciplinary Futures of UN Peace Operations. Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38596-4_6

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