US says UN force on Golan Heights has 'a vital role to pay'

The United States says the UN peacekeeping force on the Golan Heights has "a vital role to play in preserving stability between Israel and Syria," an assurance that the Trump administration's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the strategic plateau won't affect its operation.

Acting US Ambassador Jonathan Cohen told an emergency meeting of the Security Council the force's mandate to ensure that the area of separation between Syria and Israel "is a buffer zone free from any military presence or activities" is of "critical strategic and security importance" to Israel, and "can contribute to the stability of the entire Middle East."