UN Security Council Extends UNDOF Mandate Until End of 2026

The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted Resolution 2824 (2026), extending the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) until 31 December 2026. One of the UN’s longest-running peacekeeping missions, UNDOF was established following the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria after the Yom Kippur War. Its mission is to monitor the ceasefire and supervise the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan.

During the Security Council meeting, Syria’s Ambassador Ibrahim Olabi said his country is “among the most stable countries in the region,” highlighting ongoing reconstruction efforts and improved engagement with UN Security Council members and international partners. He said Syria is cooperating on key issues including chemical weapons, counterterrorism, and regional security as part of its broader recovery process.

Olabi also argued that the political changes in Syria had removed a government that practiced torture and used chemical weapons against its own people. He suggested that Israel’s concerns over developments in Syria stem from the end of that former regime. The Security Council’s renewal of UNDOF’s mandate underscores the continued importance of maintaining stability and preventing renewed conflict along the Israel-Syria ceasefire line.