S/PV.10083 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2025/784, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force. Members of the Council have before them document S/2025/827, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the Russian Federation and the United States of America. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2811 (2025). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.

I want to begin by thanking the Council for supporting the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) mandate renewal today. This vote ensures continuity for a mission that plays an important role upholding peace, security and stability along the Israel-Syria border, thereby supporting the conditions necessary for a future political resolution between the two countries. We also thank the parties for their continued cooperation with UNDOF and, most importantly, we thank UNDOF for its continued work as its personnel operate in a dynamic and, at times, volatile environment. As co-penholder on this resolution (resolution 2811 (2025)), our goal was simple. We sought to streamline the text, distilling it down to the core language that would direct UNDOF to continue fulfilling its mandate, one that has long enjoyed unanimous support from the Council. This effort was guided by our back-to-basics approach. From the outset, we were clear with all that we were not accepting new language but rather shortening the existing text. We were equally clear that in doing so, we were pursuing the continuation of UNDOF’s existing task and mission, not seeking to change UNDOF’s mandate or its focus. In closing, we once again thank the Council for renewing UNDOF’s mandate today, and we thank our co-penholder for its close cooperation throughout this process.

We thank all members of the Security Council who supported the Russian-American resolution (resolution 2811 (2025)) to renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for another six months. At the initiative of Russia and the United States, the document underwent certain changes. It became more concise and succinct, while preserving the key elements of earlier resolutions on UNDOF and the Golan Heights. Most importantly, today’s resolution preserves an unequivocal call on the parties to the conflict to comply with resolution 338 (1973), as well as with their obligations under the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israeli and Syrian Forces. We are extremely concerned about the continued violations of the 1974 Agreement, in particular about the illegal presence of Israeli units in the buffer zone, which has lasted for more than a year now. We are equally concerned about the Israel Defense Forces units advancing deeper into Syria and about the indiscriminate strikes against the sovereign territory of the Syrian Arab Republic. We urge West Jerusalem to follow Damascus’ example and show restraint by refraining from unilateral, illegitimate and provocative actions, as well as to maintain regular contact with UNDOF to address emerging differences. We are convinced that, under the current circumstances, the presence of peacekeepers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights is particularly important and should serve as a deterrent in the disengagement area. We express our gratitude to the UNDOF personnel, as well as to all troop-contributing countries that have sent their peacekeepers to the area of operations. In conclusion, we would like to reiterate our unwavering position that the Syrian Golan Heights are an integral part of Syria, pursuant to resolution 497 (1981) and subsequent Security Council decisions.

The Security Council has just unanimously adopted resolution 2811 (2025), renewing the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for six months. I wish to provide an explanation of China’s vote. First, since its establishment in 1974, UNDOF has played an important role in maintaining overall stability on the ground. Under the current circumstances, it is particularly important to ensure continuity in the work of UNDOF and to maintain stability in the Golan Heights. For that reason, China voted in favour of the resolution. China wishes to reiterate that all parties are obligated to fully implement the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israeli and Syrian Forces; that unauthorized foreign forces should not be stationed in the area of separation between Syria and Israel; and that the implementation of UNDOF’s duty, in accordance with the mandate given by the Security Council, should be guaranteed. Secondly, Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity should be fully respected. This is a principle that must be upheld in addressing the Syrian issue. The Golan Heights are internationally recognized as occupied Syrian territory. As early as 1981, the Security Council adopted resolution 497 (1981), in which it reached a conclusion on the legal status of the Syrian Golan Heights, explicitly declaring the occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights to be null and void. The relevant Security Council resolutions must be implemented. Thirdly, a comprehensive solution to the Syrian issue cannot be achieved without a peaceful and stable domestic environment. On 26 December, a terrorist attack on a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs resulted in heavy casualties. China opposes terrorism in all its forms and strongly condemns this attack. At the same time, it shows that the counter-terrorism situation in Syria remains grave and complex. We call on the Syrian transitional Government to fulfil its international obligations and take all effective measures to resolutely combat all international terrorist organizations listed by the Security Council, including the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, in order to achieve security and stability in the country.

We also want to thank the co-penholders, the United States of America and the Russian Federation, for their efforts in drafting today’s resolution (resolution 2811 (2025)). Somalia voted in favour of this resolution to extend the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). We did so at a time when the security situation is deteriorating as a result of persistent unilateral actions. While UNDOF remains an essential mechanism for stability, its effectiveness is being systematically undermined. Somalia reaffirms its unwavering support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. Our unequivocal stance is that the Golan Heights are Syrian land, and we demand the full return of all occupied Syrian territories in accordance with international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions. Any attempt to alter the legal or the demographic status of the occupied Syrian territories is null and void, without legal effect. My delegation strongly condemns the repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty and the blatant disregard for the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israeli and Syrian Forces. We denounce Israel’s continued military incursions and unauthorized presence in the area of separation which directly threaten regional peace. The use of the area of operations for provocative military activities risks triggering a full-scale regional escalation. We urge the occupying Power to adhere strictly to the Disengagement Agreement and cease its hostile acts against Syrian territory. We express our profound disappointment that the UNDOF mandate was not renewed for a full year, in an increasingly volatile environment. A shorter mandate creates unnecessary uncertainty and fails to provide the long-term stability required for the mission to operate effectively. We emphasize the absolute necessity of ensuring the safety and security of UNDOF personnel. We demand that all parties facilitate the mission’s full freedom of movement and remove all obstructions to its mandate. UNDOF must continue to operate in an impartial, credible manner, but this cannot occur in a vacuum while international law is being disregarded. In conclusion, Somalia reaffirms its strong support for UNDOF and its important role in maintaining peace and security in the region. We reiterate that lasting peace and stability in the Middle East can only be achieved through full respect for international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions and through the restoration of the occupied lands. We remain committed to the principle that dialogue and diplomacy must be rooted in respect for national borders and the end of illegal occupation.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Moments ago, the Security Council had its say, declaring clearly and unanimously that the Agreement on Disengagement between Israeli and Syrian Forces must be respected and implemented. Anyone who reads the operative paragraphs of the resolution (resolution 2811 (2025)) and listens to the comprehensive briefings delivered by the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix — and even to Israeli statements themselves — readily understands that Israel continues to violate every word of that agreement. Everyone now has a clear understanding of the realities prevailing in southern Syria. This map can help us shed light on those realities. Allow me, then, to do so. Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan for nearly 60 years now — the Golan, over which Syrian sovereignty was reaffirmed by the General Assembly earlier this month, when 123 States voted in favour of a resolution that demands that Israel withdraw from the entirety of the occupied Syrian Golan (General Assembly resolution 80/73). Meanwhile, the representative of Israel described that demand as disconnected from reality. For a year now, as Council members have mentioned here, Israeli occupation forces have been present in the area of separation — the area in which the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) is present — and have been advancing further and further. Moreover, they have repeatedly declared that they will not withdraw from Mount Hermon, whose summit lies in the area along the Syrian- Lebanese border, an area that is, in any case, geographically distant from the occupied Golan. The briefing given by Mr. Lacroix to the Council the week before last already answered many questions. Are there any Syrian armed forces present in the areas subject to inspection? No. Has Israel expanded its presence in southern Syria and continued to violate the Council’s resolutions? Yes. Are Israeli fortification and construction activities in the areas of separation and limitation still ongoing? Yes. Mr. Lacroix explicitly confirmed this to Council members and, what is more, added that there are no indications that Israel intends to withdraw in the foreseeable future. Therefore, can anyone still be in any doubt, after all that, regarding the spurious nature of Israel’s claim that its presence in the area of separation is temporary and limited, as it alleges? The international community knows full well which party is violating its obligations and which party is abiding by them. It also knows which party is seeking a solution, with the valued assistance of the United States, and which party is obstructing a solution. I once again ask the question that I posed to the Council during the previous meeting on Syria: what is Syria’s reward for its commitment to international legitimacy? Is the reward more and more attacks, ground incursions and drones and the assault, abduction and killing of Syrian civilians? On numerous occasions, the United Nations has commended Syria for its commitment to facilitating the work of UNDOF without any harassment or risk and for providing it with the appropriate environment to carry out its mandate in the best possible manner. As we head into a new year, I can only wish the personnel of the Force safety and that no danger or harm befall them as a result of Israeli recklessness within the Force’s area of operations. (spoke in English) Given that Syria was mentioned a couple of weeks ago as a part of a New Year’s resolution for the Security Council by a certain delegation, let me share our New Year’s resolution in this context: it is an UNDOF force that is able to operate to fulfil its mandate freely and without being surrounded by Israeli occupation forces on each and every side. And, of course, our resolution — although it falls within the realm of wishful thinking, unfortunately — is an Israel that abides by Security Council resolutions and adheres to international law. In conclusion, let me personally thank you, Mr. President, for the exemplary presidency this month. It was a very heavy Syria month, but you have done a fantastic job, and you will be very missed in the Council.