UN chief asks Israel, Syria to de-escalate tensions

Deeply concerned over the serious violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria, UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called on all involved to exercise maximum restraint to prevent any further escalation in an already tense regional environment.
"The Secretary-General condemns all violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement and calls on all concerned to refrain from any action that jeopardises the ceasefire between Israel and Syria and undermines the stability of the area," a statement issued by the UN spokesperson said.
The Secretary-General calls on all involved to exercise maximum restraint to prevent any further escalation in an already tense regional environment, it said.

Rockets were fired on August 20 across the ceasefire line into northern Israel, landing in the vicinity of Qiryat Shmona, in response to which the Israel Defence Forces fired across the ceasefire line, with projectiles impacting in the vicinity of Syrian Arab Armed Forces positions near Al Baath and Khan Arnabeh.
The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) immediately liaised with the Israel Defence Forces and the Syrian Arab Armed Forces to de-escalate the situation, "which is currently quiet", the statement added.
UNDOF was established by the Security Council to monitor the ceasefire between Syria and Israel after their 1973 war.

Since then, the Observer Force has remained in the area to maintain the ceasefire and to supervise the implementation of the disengagement agreement.