TEL AVIV, September 17. /TASS/. Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov met with head of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) Nirmal Kumar Thapa to discuss the role of peacekeepers in the stabilization of the situation in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Russian embassy said.

"The sides discussed issues of the current activities of the UNDOF peacekeepers amid the continuing escalation of tension in the Middle East. Viktorov highlighted the important role of UN peacekeeping forces in stabilizing the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone and creating conditions for opening up political prospects of the Middle East peace process on the basis of generally recognized international law," it said.

Thapa "shared his views on the current situation in light of the UNDOF mission’s mandate," the embassy added.

The Golan Heights belonged to Syria since 1944 but were seized by Israel after the Six-Day War 1967. In 1981, Israel’s Knesset (parliament) passed a law proclaiming Israel’s sovereignty over this territory. However, United Nations Security Council Resolution 497 dated December 17, 1981 recognized the annexation as invalid.