PH recommends peacekeepers stay in Golan

 News
Jul 312013
 

3:08 pm | Wednesday, July 31st, 2013

An old tank is surrounded by fire following explosions of mortar shells from Syria on the Israeli controlled Golan Heights. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ top diplomat says he has reversed an earlier recommendation to the president and now wants about 340 Filipino peacekeepers to stay in the Golan Heights for at least six months after the UN promised to bolster their safety.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario told a news conference in Manila on Wednesday that UN officials assured him in a recent meeting in New York that they would fulfill three conditions laid down by the Philippine government, including providing the peacekeepers with more self-defense weapons.

Del Rosario asked President Benigno Aquino III in May to withdraw the peacekeepers from Golan due to escalating hostilities between Syrian rebels and government troops in the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone that separates Syria from the Israeli-occupied plateau.

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Tags: Features , Filipino peacekeepers , Global Nation , Golan Heights , United Nations

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PH sets conditions for continued Golan Heights deployment

 News
Jul 062013
 
PH sets conditions for continued Golan Heights deployment

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 3:47 pm | Saturday, July 6th, 2013 Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino is willing to extend the deployment of Filipino peacekeepers in the conflict-stricken Golan Heights if the United Nations agrees to certain conditions regarding the safety of the Filipino soldiers, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Saturday. Del Rosario said the President was open to maintaining the country’s troops in the volatile ceasefire zone between Syria and Israel beyond the scheduled troop rotation on August 11 if safety and security conditions improve. At least 340 Filipino peacekeepers are detailed to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) at the ceasefire zone, which has been wracked by a spillover of violence between Syrian government and rebel forces. “We are submitting our conditionalities [to the United Nations] for enhancing safety and security of Philippine peacekeepers in UNDOF,” Del Rosario told the Inquirer. “If these are approved, and the risk exposure does not exceed tolerable limits, the President has agreed for our people to remain beyond August 11 with a reassessment thereafter to be made every six months.” Del Rosario earlier proposed to Aquino the withdrawal of the Philippine contingent, currently UNDOF’s biggest, following  two separate abductions of Filipino “Blue Helmets”—21 in March and four in May— and the wounding of one during heavy fighting among Syrians in June. The Philippines sent an assessment team to the Golan last month to determine if safety and security conditions in the area Read More …

Filipino Golan peacekeeper wounded

 Entertainment
Jun 072013
 

MANILA, June 6, 2013 (AFP) – A Philippine UN peacekeeper in the Golan Heights was wounded by shrapnel Thursday amid fighting between Syrian government and rebel forces, the Filipino military said. “Currently, he is being treated by medics inside a shelter and is in stable and good condition,” a military statement said. Shrapnel hit the […]

Filipino peacekeeper wounded in Golan Heights incident

 News
Jun 062013
 
Filipino peacekeeper wounded in Golan Heights incident

By Frances MangosingINQUIRER.net 7:05 pm | Thursday, June 6th, 2013 Israeli soldiers stand on top of a Merkava tank stationed in the Israeli annexed Golan Heights near the border with Syria on May 26, 2013. A former commander of UN peacekeeping troops in the Israeli occupied Golan Heights has warned that the entire force would be in jeopardy if Austria withdraws. Austria — which provides the largest number of troops to the UN Disengagement Force (UNDOF) on the Golan — has threatened to withdraw its troops over concerns for their safety if the EU lifts an embargo on supplying arms to the Syrian opposition. AFP PHOTO/JALAA MAREY MANILA, Philippines – A Filipino peacekeeper of the United Nations was wounded when he was hit by “a wayward indirect fire” at Camp Ziouni in ceasefire line Golan Heights on Thursday, the military said. The incident happened at 7:45 a.m. (local time), or 1:45 p.m. Philippine time. Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, Public Affairs Office chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the soldier, whom he declined to identify, is a member of the Philippine Contingent to Golan Heights. He was hit by shrapnel just above his right ankle. He is now being treated by medics inside a shelter and is in “stable and good condition.” The incident happened during a firefight between Syrian government and rebel forces, some three to four kilometers from Camp Ziouni. Camp Ziouni is the logistics base of the United Nations Disengagement Observers Force where the different Read More …

Philippines to keep its UN forces in Golan Heights

 News
Mar 142013
 
Philippines to keep its UN forces in Golan Heights

Agence France-Presse 4:56 pm | Thursday, March 14th, 2013 DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines said Thursday it would keep its contingent of United Nations peacekeepers in the Golan Heights, after Syrian rebels abducted 21 of them last week and held them for three days. “The Philippine contingent to the UNDOF (UN Disengagement Observer Force) would remain stationed in the Golan Heights to perform its obligation in the name of peace,” foreign department spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: DFA , Foreign affairs , Global Nation , Golan Heights , Philippines , Syria , UN Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94

Philippines says Syrian rebels firm on hostage demands

 News
Mar 082013
 
Philippines says Syrian rebels firm on hostage demands

Agence France-Presse 2:14 pm | Friday, March 8th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines–The Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday that rebels who are holding 21 Filipino peacekeepers hostage in the Golan Heights are insisting Syrian troops leave the area before releasing their captives. The refusal by the Syrian rebels to compromise had dampened hopes of the UN peacekeepers being released quickly, and forced the government to step up its negotiation efforts, foreign affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said. “The demand of the rebels for the re-positioning of Syrian forces in the area of Jamla is still outstanding so this is still being worked out,” he said on ABS-CBN television. The rebels want the Syrian troops to move 20 kilometers (12 miles) back from Jamla, an area in the Golan’s ceasefire zone, before they will free the Filipinos, he said. “That is the main demand of the rebel group,” he told AFP, adding he did not know of any other conditions. The Philippine government had previously received information that raised hopes the 21 would be released on Friday morning, Philippine time, and the government now did not know if or when they would be freed, Hernandez said. “We are trying to intensify our negotiations with the rebel groups,” he said. However he said the Filipino peacekeepers were still being treated well. “(They are) being treated as guests and are unharmed,” Hernandez said. The 21 Filipino troops, members of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) observing a 1974 ceasefire between Syria and Israel, were abducted Read More …

PHL calls for immediate and safe release of Filipino peacekeepers

 Entertainment
Mar 072013
 
PHL calls for immediate and safe release of Filipino peacekeepers

( United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations) The  Philippine  Government  has  received  confirmation  from  the  United Nations  Department  of  Peacekeeping  Operations  that  21  Filipino peacekeepers  assigned  to  the  United  Nations  Disengagement  Observer Force  (UNDOF)  in  the  Golan  Heights  have  been  detained  by  an  armed group. All Filipino peacekeepers are reported to be unharmed and that negotiations are underway to secure their safe release. The Government is likewise coordinating closely with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations on the matter. The Philippine Government is calling for the immediate release of 21 Filipino peacekeepers who are part of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights. “The main concern of the Philippine Government at this time is to ensure the safety and well-being of our peacekeepers. We wish to reiterate that UNDOF’s freedom of movement and safety and security must be respected by all parties in the area,” Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert F. del Rosario said.