Operation Paladin is Australia's contribution to the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) that was established in 1948 to supervise the truce agreed at the conclusion of the first Arab/Israeli War. Involving

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, Syria,

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

and

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...

, Australian personnel have supported this operation since 1956. According to the Australian Department of Defence, "members of the Australian contingent may be employed in a variety of roles including staff officers in the UNTSO Headquarters in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

and military observers in a variety of locations". On 12 January 1988, one officer assigned to the operation, Captain Peter McCarthy was killed when by a landmine while conducting a vehicle mounted patrol in southern Lebanon. Other Australians have also been kidnapped and assaulted during the course of their duties. In 1995, there were 13 personnel assigned to the operation, although in 2009 there were 11 personnel assigned, with the most senior being an Australian Army lieutenant colonel. As of 2018, 12 personnel were assigned in an unarmed role. As part of the rotation, Australians have on occasion also served as UNTSO chief of staff. Officers who have filled this role include Major Generals Ian Gordon and Tim Ford.

Notes

References

* {{cite book , last1=Dennis , first1=Peter , last2=Grey , first2=Jeffrey , last3=Morris , first3=Ewan , last4=Prior , first4=Robin , year=1995 , title=The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History , publisher=Oxford University Press , location=Melbourne, Victoria , edition=1st , ISBN=978-0195532272 , ref=CITEREFDennis_et_al1995

External links

Control: Stories of Australian peacekeeping and humanitarian operationsUNTSO images at the Australian War Memorial

Paladin The Paladins, also called the Twelve Peers, are twelve legendary knights, the foremost members of Charlemagne's court in the 8th century. They first appear in the medieval (12th century) ''chanson de geste'' cycle of the Matter of France, where ...