ABSTRACT
Historically, UN forces in and around Israel were always interested in concluding an agreement regarding their immunities. Israel, being wary of UN forces, was reluctant to enter into such agreement, especially as regards immunity from criminal jurisdiction for arms and drug smuggling. Prior to the MFO agreement, Israel had never entered into an immunities agreement either with the UN or with States participating in a UN force. (Israel is a party to the 1946 Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the UN since 1949, but it has applied this Convention only with regard to UNTSO observers, in their role as "experts" as defined in the Convention.) In the absence of an agreement providing for immunities, foreign troops do not enjoy any immunities.
