ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces several definitions and versions of peace the societal condition that is aimed for when the international community intervenes. It discusses conventional military doctrine, principles and methods of war. The role and perspective of the international community, in particular UN and regional peace initiatives, are explored. Peacekeepers are not supposed to have enemies so peace operations are not usually directed against an enemy. Positive peace is said to combine the absence of war with wider social and economic justice, and political pluralism. In peace support operations it is important to have cultural harmony among the multinational military force and cultural affinity with the population involved in the mission. Military observers United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) have been assisting the maintenance of a range of peace agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbours since 1948. Praxis is revealing that conventional military and political theories and techniques have a decreasing role to play in peace operations around the world.
