The Taoiseach today becomes the first holder of the office to make an official visit to the Middle East. Mr Ahern will visit Lebanon and Israel during his four-day tour.
Irish UNIFIL soldiers serving at Camp Shamrock in south Lebanon were forced to spend 1 1/2 hours in their bunker yesterday after an outbreak of local hostilities. Mr Ahern is to visit the camp today.
Mr Ahern arrived in Beirut last night and will travel to south Lebanon today. He will visit the monument in Qana to the 112 civilians killed by Israeli shelling in 1996 and lay a wreath at the UNIFIL memorial in Naqoura before travelling to Camp Shamrock, the Irish UN headquarters near Tibnin.
The Taoiseach will pay a courtesy call on the Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr Salim al-Hoss, before leaving for Israel.
Mr Ahern will be accorded an official reception at Ben Gurion Airport. Later, he will have talks with the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu. On Wednesday he will meet the Israeli President, Mr Ezer Weizman, and visit the Holocaust memorial.
Mr Ahern will then travel to Gaza, where his engagements include a meeting with the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat. He will visit an Irish aid project in Gaza before returning to Dublin.
