Philippines' President Benigno Aquino III says he wants better protection and a more robust mandate for U.N. peacekeepers if a Philippine contingent stays in the Golan Heights. Aquino said Tuesday he is weighing his foreign secretary's proposal to withdraw all 342 Filipinos. The recommendation follows two separate abductions and shelling by Syrian rebels inside the U.N.-patrolled demarcation line separating Syria from the Israeli-occupied plateau, AP reported. Austria announced last week that it would remove its 377 peacekeepers from the 911-member U.N. force, which also includes troops from India. That leaves the Philippines as the largest single contributor. Croatia withdrew in March for fears its troops would be targeted.
