PKO

Question 1

What is UNTSO?

Answer 1

United nations truce supervision organisation

- Monitor ceasefire between jewish and arab populations

Question 2

When did UNTSO start?

Answer 2

June 1948 : before arab armies invaded

July 1948: israeli counterattack

Question 3

merits of UNTSO

Answer 3

able to contain the conflict which threatened to erupt

significant behind cold war background and ME tensions

Question 4

limitations of UNTSO

Answer 4

1) parties unwilling to cooperate: suspicion of lack of impartiality
- did not grant freedom of movement and hindered UN activities

Question 5

Resolution of UNTSO (resolution)

Answer 5

UNGA resolution 194: support claims of palestinian rights to territory and property.
equates zionism to racism (form of colonialism against palestine)

UNSC resolution 242, resolution 338:

• acquisition of territory by war is illegal
• israel should withdraw and settle refugee problem

Question 6

Why is crisis not resolved?

Answer 6

US protectionism of israel. Shields Israel from military and economic action in UNSC
Eg. USA vetoed 34 resolutions pressuring Israel to withdraw

Question 7

What is Suez crisis?

Answer 7

British, french, israeli invasion of Egypt in opposition of Nasser nationalising Suez canal.

started in oct 1956 with israel invading. Followed by british and french invasion.

Question 8

UNGA action

Answer 8

• first UNGA emergency meeting (nov 1956) to discuss crisis
  Resolution 997: calling for immediate withdrawal with proposal to create Emergency Force (UNEF)
• Resolution 998: acceptance of dag’s proposal for UNEF (within 48 hrs)
• Resolution 1000: establishment of UNEF
• Resolution 1001: good faith agreement with Egypt (consent)

Question 9

success of UNEF

Answer 9

1) ensured withdrawal of British, french (dec 1956) and israelis (march 1957)
2) reduced violence from 1956 to 1967
3) secure superpower support -> led to success
4) able to secure local support
5) swiftness of response : creation of force within 48 hours of resolution 997.

Question 10

limitations of UNEF

Answer 10

• failed to create long term peace: 6 day war in 1967 after UNEF withdrawal

Question 11

most important reason for creation

Answer 11

superpower support

• USA wanted face saving way for french and british to withdraw. and secure support of third world
• USSR wanted a distraction from hungarian invasion in 1956

Question 12

start of congo crisis

Answer 12

• pm lumumba requested aid of sec gen to put down katanga succession which threatened the country.
• > led to creation of United Nations Operations in the Congo (ONUC)

Question 13

original mandate (June 1960)

Answer 13

resolution 143

- withdrawal of belgian troops and foreign mercenaries

Question 14

expansion of mandate (4th and 5th mandate) - Feb 1961

Answer 14

Resolution 161 (feb 1961)
- UN take all necessary measures to prevent occurrence of civil war including arrangement of ceasefire, halting of military operations 

Resolution 169 (nov 1961)

• UNSC denounced the successionist activities of katanga and denounced use of force against UN force
• authorised sec gen to use requisite force and deport foreign mercenaries

Question 15

primary issues faced by ONUC

Answer 15

• middle of a civil war with multiple factions with different foreign backers (katanga - Belgium , Mobutu - USA , Lumumba - USSR)
• lack of a stable government to provide support
• CW proxy war

Question 16

different factions (1+3)

Answer 16

lumumba + kasavubu in LEOPOLDVILLE -> governmet backed by USSR

mobutu overthrew lumumba in sept 1960 -> supported by USA
Lumumbists rival government in STANLEYVILLE
tshombe and katanga secessionists in -> supported by belgium

Question 17

superpower involvement

Answer 17

dag refused to allow un troops to fight katanga successionists. led to lumumba turning to USSR for support

• USSR supported military aid and advisors
• alarmed the USA: started supporting mobutu who staged a coup in september 1960

Question 18

Resolution of crisis

Answer 18

expansion of mandate (resolution 169) allowed un to use force :

turning point: Operate Grandslam in end 1962-1963

• 1962 christmas eve attack by foreign mercenaries triggered operation grandslam
• by start of 1963, katanga was decisively defeated
• ONUC began withdrawal in 1964

Question 19

main failure

Answer 19

failure to upkeep principles of pko

• excessive use of force from resolution 169
• lack of impartiality: strongly anti katanga
• consent: opposed by many parties - failed to gain cooperation

Question 20

what is UNIFIL?

Answer 20

United nations interim forces in lebanon

Question 21

mandate (1978-)

Answer 21

resolution 425, 426: (march 1978)

• withdrawal of israeli defence forces (IDF)
• assist lebanese government in ensuring effective control of south

Question 22

parties involved

Answer 22

Israel defence forces (IDF)
Sout lebanese army (supported by israel)
palestine liberation organisation (PLO)

nooo lebanese governmet authority

Question 23

invasion of lebanon by israel (3)

Answer 23

1) march 1978
PLO attack led to Israel invading and occupying entire southern half of country
2) june 1982
intense fighting in southern lebanon led to invasion again
3) 1993
Operation Accountability- end threat of hezbollah and PLO

Question 24

success of UNIFIL

Answer 24

Provision of humanitarian aid

• dampen conflict by protecting and sustaining local populace
• 250000 - 300000 lived in UNIFIL controlled areas

Question 25

MAIN failure

Answer 25

failure to meet mandate

• israeli withdrawal? UNIFIL did not deter IDF from invading in 1982 and 1993
• restoration of lebanese authority? dominated by PLO and SLA. when israel withdrew in 1978, passed control to SLA

Question 26

consent, support of parties?

Answer 26

• in haste of deployment, failed to acquire consent of Israel, PLO and SLA. failure to cooperate
• unable to secure freedom of movement and effective operation
• threat to UN personnnel

Question 27

SLA being problematic

Answer 27

broke agreement of not attacking israel from lebanon due to derestructured nature of organisation
attacked UNIFIL headquarters in 1980: loss of lives

Question 28

israel refusal to cooperate

Answer 28

• difficult to cooperate as israel viewed UNIFIL as anti israel
• IDF shelled UNIFIL area of operation

Question 29

local lebanese militia - hezbollah

Answer 29

refused to cooperate

Question 30

lack of support for expanded mandate

Answer 30

• mandate was vague and impracticable due to limited political support
• needed chapter 7 enforcement to deter israel - but UNSC resistent
• inability and difficulty of restoring authority since PLO, SLA and IDF dominated

Question 31

why was there lack of support for expanded mandate?

Answer 31

cold war tensions:

• ussr refused expanded mandate as it would question its ally syria’s involvement in Lebanon
• USSR supported PLO as counterweight to israel.

refusal to see similar failure as ONUC