Multinational Force and Observers

The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) is an international peacekeeping force.

History

In 1979, following the signing of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty, the United Nations decided not to continue with a peacekeeping mandate on the Sinai Peninsula. The terms of the treaty required the presence of international peacekeepers to ensure that both Israel and Egypt kept to the provisions regarding military build-up along the border. Initially, the peacekeeping force was provided by the US Sinai Field Mission, while efforts were made to persuade the UN to change its mind. When it became clear that this would not happen, Egypt, Israel and the United States opened negotiations to set up a peacekeeping organisation outside the framework of the UN. On August 3rd 1981, the Protocol to the Treaty of Peace was signed, establishing the Multinational Force and Observers. The MFO assumed its mandate on April 25th 1982, the day that Israel handed over sovereignty of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. In 1995 the United States experimented with a composite battalion consisting of National Guard soldiers from Virginia and Maryland, and Regular Army soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Since January 2002, the United States has been supplying National Guard Infantry battalions exclusively.

Organisation

The MFO has its main headquarters in Rome, where it is headed by the Director-General. It also has two regional offices, in Tel Aviv and Cairo, while the Force itself is based in Zone C on the Sinai Peninsula, under the command of the Force Commander. The Force Commander is responsible for the military elements of the MFO, which comprise:

Headquarters
Three infantry battalions
Support battalion
Coastal Patrol Unit
Rotary Wing Aviation unit
Transport unit
Engineers unit
Military Police Unit
Flight Following (Air Traffic control) Unit

Nations Involved

The personnel for these come from a total of eleven countries:

Australia - 25 personnel based at Force HQ ^*
Canada - 29 personnel based at Force HQ and Flight Following Unit
Colombia - Infantry battalion - 358 personnel
Fiji - Infantry battalion - 329 personnel
France - 15 personnel based at Force HQ and with the fixed wing unit
Netherlands Until 1994 which were replaced by Hungary
Hungary - Military Police unit (41 personnel)
Italy - Coastal patrol unit (75 personnel, 3 ships)
New Zealand - 27 personnel divided between support battalion and Training and Advisory Team
Norway - 3 personnel based at Force HQ
Uruguay - 87 personnel with Transport and Engineering Unit
United States - The US is responsible for three contingents:
- Force HQ - 27 personnel
- Support Battalion - 235 personnel
- Infantry Battalion - 425 personnel

Location: The Sinai Peninsula

Article 2 of Annex I of the Peace Treaty called for the Sinai Peninsula to be divided into zones. Within these zones, Egypt and Israel were permitted varying degrees of military build-up:

Zone A: Between the Suez Canal and Line A. Egypt is permitted a mechanised infantry division with a total of 22,000 troops in Zone A.
Zone B: Between Line A and Line B. Egypt is permitted four border security battalions to support the civilian police in Zone B.
Zone C: Between Line B and the Egypt-Israel border. Only the MFO and the Egyptian civilian police are permitted within Zone C.
Zone D: Between the Egypt-Israel border and Line D. Israel is permitted four infantry battalions in Zone D.

Within Zone C there are two main installations:

North Camp is the location of Force HQ and is close to the town of el Gorah.
South Camp is located near the town of Sharm el Sheikh.

In addition there are thirty smaller sites at various points within Zone C and at least one remote observation post (OP 3-11) located offland on a tiny island.

External link

MFO official site

Middle East peace efforts