Multinational Force and Observers

Patch for the military MFO personnel

The peacekeeping zones on the Sinai Peninsula

The Multinational Force and Observers ( MFO ) is an international peacekeeping force working to secure the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel . This demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Sinai . A United Nations peacekeeping force was to monitor the border between Egypt and Israel. First, however, the US Sinai Field Mission took over this task; In 1981, the United Nations Security Council was unable to deploy its own peacekeeping force, as the Soviet Union had announced a veto under pressure from Syria.

As a result, Egypt, Israel and the United States negotiated a peace mission outside the UN; so in August 1981 the Multinational Force and Observers were founded.

The headquarters are in Rome ; There is a regional office each in Tel Aviv and Cairo . The staff comes from twelve countries:

• Australia
• Fiji Involved since 1982. Fiji provides an infantry battalion (a staff and supply company, an infantry company - FIJIBATT). These secure Forward Operating Base South and patrols by the Civilian Observer Unit in Zones A, B and C. Fiji also provides staff, and the contingent leader is the deputy lead liaison officer. In the past (2006) Fiji was involved with two other infantry companies. At that time it was used in the north of Zone C, and among other things was responsible for securing the border crossings in Rafah , Kerem Shalom and El Awga / Nizzana . Currently: 170 men.
• France Involved since 1982. France currently provides a staff officer. In the past (until 2010) France provided a transport aircraft detachment consisting initially of a D HC-6 Twin Otter or C160 Transall , later a CASA C-295 M (carrying out transport and observation orders). Currently 1 man.
• Italy involved since 1982. Italy is providing a Coastal Patrol Unit consisting of three patrol boats for sea-side protection of the contract area in the Strait of Tiran . One of three boats is always at sea, one is on standby for two hours and one carries out maintenance work, and a fourth boat is in Taranto (Italy) for major repairs . The boats belong to the four units ( ITS Esploratore, ITS Sentinella, ITS Vedetta and ITS Staffetta) comprehensive Esploratore class (181 GRT , 37 m). Italy has also provided the Force Commander once . Currently: 78 men.
• Canada Involved since 1985. Canada provides a military police unit , the air traffic controllers of the Flight Following Section in Forward Operating Base North and various staff members (senior liaison officer, force sergeant major, chief of the military police, other staff officers for operations management, training, engineering , IT , vehicle management, security). Canada has also provided the Force Commander several times . Currently 68 men.
• Colombia Involved since 1982. Colombia provides an infantry battalion (one staff and supply company, two infantry companies - COLCON). These secure Forward Operating Base North , occupy observation posts and conduct patrols in Zone C, and set up a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) . Colombia also has 14 soldiers on its staff (including a security officer, a liaison officer, a medical officer and a medical officer-dentist). Currently: 275 men.
• New Zealand involved since 1982. From 1982 to 1986, New Zealand and Australia had a helicopter squadron consisting of UH1H Iroquois. From the withdrawal of the helicopters to 1998, New Zealand had only a few staff officers involved in the operation. From 1998 the New Zealand Contingent (NZCON) has taken on the task of the Force Training Team , and it also provides a transport group and several staff officers (including for operations management, pioneering, liaison officers and the adjudicator of the Force Commander). New Zealand has also provided the Force Commander several times . Currently: 26 men
• Norway Involved since 1982. Norway has three staff officers (the head of the Commander's Advisory Group, a planning staff officer and a liaison officer). Norway has also provided the Force Commander several times . Currently 3 men.
• Czech Republic involved since 2009. The Czech Republic provides three staff officers (the deputy chief of staff, the deputy force protection information officer and a pioneer staff officer ) and, since November 2013, a small transport aircraft detachment consisting of a CASA C-295 M (carrying out transport and observation missions) and 15 men on board - and ground staff. Currently: 18 men.
• Hungary
• Uruguay Involved since 1982. Uruguay provides a mixed transport and engineering unit ( transport and engineering unit - company equivalent), as well as a staff officer and a medical officer . Currently: 42 men.
• United States ( Task Force Sinai )

Force Commander

No.	Surname	origin	Beginning of the appointment	End of appointment
1.	Lieutenant General Fredrik Bull-Hansen	Norway	1981	1984
2.	Lieutenant General Egil Ingebrigtsen	Norway	1984	1989
3.	Lieutenant General Donald McIver	New Zealand	1989	1991
4th	Lieutenant General JWC van Ginkel	Netherlands	1991	1994
5.	Maj. Gen. David B. Ferguson	Australia	1994	1997
6th	Major General Tryggve Tellefsen	Norway	1997	2001
7th	Major General Robert Meating	Canada	2001	2004
8th.	Major General Roberto Martinelli	Italy	2004	2007
9.	Major General Kjell Narve Ludvigsen	Norway	2007	2010
10.	Maj. General Warren J. Whiting	New Zealand	2010	2014
11.	Major General Denis Thompson	Canada	2014	2017
12.	Major General Simon Stuart	Australia	2017	2019
13.	Major General Evan Williams	New Zealand	2019	constantly

Web links

Commons : Multinational Force and Observers  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official MFO website

Individual evidence

1. ↑ 10 Tactical Air Group: Canadian Contingent Multinational Force and Observers Handbook (unclassified), page A-1. DND, Ottawa, 1986.
2. ^ MFO Change of Command. In: www.mfo.org. Multinational Force and Observers, March 1, 2010, accessed April 8, 2018 . 
3. ^ MFO Change of Command. In: www.mfo.org. Multinational Force and Observers, March 3, 2014, accessed April 8, 2018 . 
4. ^ MFO Force Commander Change of Command. In: www.mfo.org. Multinational Force and Observers, March 1, 2017, accessed April 8, 2018 . 
5. ^ MFO Change of Command. In: http://mfo.org/ . PAO MFO, December 3, 2019, accessed August 22, 2020 .