Special to WorldTribune.com

LONDON — The United Nations peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights
has lost its leading contributor.

Austria has announced that it would withdraw from the UN Disengagement
Observers Force in the Golan Heights. The announcement on June 6, after
months of consultations, was said to mark a major blow to the UN force that
maintained a buffer zone between Israel and Syria over the last 40 years.

“Freedom of movement in the area de facto no longer exists,” Austrian
Chancellor Werner Faymann and his deputy Michael Spindelegger said in a
joint statement. “The uncontrolled and immediate danger to Austrian soldiers has risen to an unacceptable level.”

Austria maintained the largest contingent in UNDOF, with more than 400
troops. Until mid-May, Western diplomats said, the Vienna government had
insisted that it would remain in UNDOF despite rising threats from Sunni
rebels in Syria.

“Austria has been a backbone of the mission and their withdrawal will
impact the mission’s operational capacity,” UN spokeswoman Josephine
Guerrero said. “We are in discussions with them about timing, and with other troop-contributing countries to provide replacement troops.”

The diplomats said Austria, in UNDOF since 1974, was alarmed by the
spate of abductions and attacks by Sunni rebels in Syria. They said Austrian
officials warned Israel in May that their government was considering
withdrawing from UNDOF.

“While appreciating Austria’s longtime contribution and commitment to
peacekeeping in the Middle East, we nevertheless regret this decision and
hope that it will not be conducive to further escalation in the region,” the
Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

Austria’s notification of its withdrawal came amid heavy rebel fighting
with the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad on the Golan. On June 6,
UNDOF personnel were forced to evacuate the Kuneitra crossing, assigned to
Austria, when Sunni rebels captured the position for several hours. A member
of the delegation from the Philippines was injured.

“We are following events in the Golan Heights, which is a very sensitive
region, with particularly close attention,” UNDOF deputy secretary-general
Herve Ladsous said.

The Austrian pullout left India and the Philippines as the leading
contributors to UNDOF. Over the last six months, Croatia, Japan and most of
the Canadian contingent have withdrawn from the Golan.

“We are doing everything we can to reduce risks,” Ladsous told a
briefing. “We have closed posts that were too exposed, reinforced our
equipment and vehicles, and our activities are more static.”

  ‘Unacceptable’ risk: Austria withdraws its troops from Golan Heights force, Bashar Assad, Herve Lasdous, Syrian rebels, UNDOF, Werner Faymann