United Nations Truce Supervision Organization

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UNTSO is an acronym for United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, an organization founded in 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Among its tasks are providing assistance to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Its initial foundation was a result of Resolution 50 of the UN Security Council which was accepted on May 29, 1948.

Countries contributing military resources to UNTSO include, Argentina, Australia [1], Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. Notably no Islamic or Jewish country is included in this list.

UNTSO has offices in Beirut and Damascus, with its headquarters in Government House, Jerusalem.

UNTSO currently provides military observers to three different UN missions in the area; Observer Group Lebanon (OGL), supporting UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, Observer Group Golan (OGG) supporting UNDOF in the occupied Golan Heights and OGE Observer Group Egypt (OGE) on the Sinai Peninsula.

The military observers are un-armed and they carry out their jobs by observing and reporting violations of the agreements of cease-fire, disengagement etc. that are relevant to their area of operations. All military observers are seasoned officers of the rank of captain or major coming from all branches of service in their respective countries armed forces. The military observers work in multi-national teams, so that any observations will always be confirmed by at least two observers from different nations, as a measure to ensure impartiality.

OGG, with HQ co-located with UNDOF HQ in Camp Faouar in Syria, is split into two outstations; OGG-D (Observer Group Golan - Damascus) based in Damascus, Syria and OGG-T (Observer Group Golan - Tiberias) based in Tiberias, Israel. Each outstation mans a number of observation posts on each side of the Area of Separation (AOS) that was put in place as part of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Syria and Israel following the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The military observers carry-out fortnightly inspections inside the Area of Limitations to verify, that both sides adhere to the limitations on troop levels and military equipment within 10, 20 and 25 km zones from the AOS as prescribed by the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

OGL HQ is co-located with UNIFIL HQ in Camp Naquora in southern Lebanon. OGL mans four patrol bases along the so-called Blue Line; the line by which to verify the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in 2000.

OGE is based in Ismalia by the Suez Canal in Egypt. OGE conducts short- and long-range patrols on the Sinai Peninsula.