Gov’t mulling pullout of Pinoy peacekeepers in Golan Heights

MISAMIS ORIENTAL, Philippines – Saying he wants better protection and a more robust mandate for UN peacekeepers, President Aquino is reviewing whether to pull out Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights.

The President said he is weighing the proposal of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to withdraw all 342 Filipinos, following two separate kidnapping and shelling incidents by Syrian rebels inside the UN-patrolled demarcation line separating Syria from the Israeli-occupied plateau.

In an interview at the Laguindingan airport here, which he inspected yesterday, Aquino said he would convene an inter-agency meeting to review the UN Disengagement Observation Force.

“The meeting is to thresh out the issues and assess if we can accomplish the mission that was given us, along with the other forces that have remained there,” he said.

“And whether the UN will allow the government to acquire better equipment or modify the rules of engagement to enhance the safety of Filipino peacekeepers,” he added.

Aquino said some countries decided to pull out their forces for fear that hostilities might flare up again.

Austria announced last week that it would remove its 377 peacekeepers from the 911-member UN force, which also includes troops from India. That leaves the Philippines as the largest single contributor of troops.

Croatia withdrew in March on fears its troops would be targeted. – With AP