President Michael D Higgins has said it is “outrageous” of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to threaten the lives of Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon.
On the eve of the first anniversary of the Hamas attack that left scores of young people dead, injured and taken hostage at the Supernova Sukkot Gathering music festival in Israel on October 7th last year, the President condemned the escalation of deadly attacks across the Middle East and the threat to the lives of those in the Defence Forces.
The President said that as “Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces, but I am sure as are all Irish citizens, I am thinking of what an anxious time it is for them”.
Ireland’s contingent of close to 300 peacekeepers is part of an allocation of 10,000 Unifil soldiers.
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Mr Higgins said: “It is outrageous that the Israel Defence Forces have threatened this peacekeeping force and sought to have them evacuate the villages they are defending.
“Indeed, Israel is demanding that the entire Unifil operating under UN mandates walk away.”
The Israeli embassy in Dublin strongly criticised the President’s intervention, saying the claim that IDF had threatened Unifil forces was “unfounded and inflammatory”.
In a statement, the embassy said the IDF “made a request through different channels to have some Unifil troops move from areas of military activity for their own protection and safety.
“Let it be clear that the safety of peacekeeping forces is of immense importance to Israel. To attempt to characterise this as a threat to Unifil forces is another unfounded and inflammatory accusation levelled at Israel, as we have seen in the past months.”
The embassy said “it should be remembered that for almost a year, the people of northern Israel have been under relentless bombardment by Hizbullah, forcing entire communities to flee their homes, a grim reality no other country would have suffered for so long. Israel has a duty and an obligation to protect its citizens and will act accordingly.”
Speaking on Saturday, the President said Defence Forces members are “risking their lives, and their families are making this sacrifice”, on behalf of defenceless civilians in southern Lebanese villages.
“We all daily think of them and the importance of their safety and provisions.
“This is not only an insult to the most important global institution to which 193 members are committed, but it is also an insult to the soldiers and their families who have taken risks so we might all live in peace and protect the most vulnerable.
“I am sure that the courage being displayed by our contingent and their colleagues has the thoughts and prayers of all those who value peace, at home and abroad.”
The President said the month of October is, and will always be, a month full of sorrow for so many families particularly those “horrifically killed” at the Supernova Sukkot Gathering music festival in Israel.
“The outrageous murder and assault of so many others by Hamas, and the taking of hostages, the anxiety for the safety of so many of whom is permanently in the hearts of their families,” he said.
Mr Higgins said it “should not have come to such events, or the horrific events that followed of collective punishment, vengeance and destruction of the means of habitation, or, for example, the education and health of children”.
He said it is “so important that we not make further additions to the loss and mutilation of life which occurred last October and which followed in the months since”.
The Irish Government has protested strongly to Israel to withdraw its troops from close to an outpost on the border with Lebanon which is guarded by Irish Unifil troops.
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin said the safety of Irish troops remained the highest priority and he was gravely concerned that in the current heightened situation there was “potential for missiles to go in the wrong direction”.
Over the past few days, platoons from the IDF have breached the ‘blue line’ that divides Lebanon from Israel in several areas, including at an Irish battalion post, known as 652.
One platoon is now operating in proximity to the outpost, which Mr Martin has described as an “unacceptable violation” of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. Mr Martin also pointed out there had been breaches of the resolution by Hizbullah.
The 30 Irish troops at the outpost are operating under what is known as level 3 which means they are to shelter in place and remain in bunkers. They continue to monitor and report any violation of the resolution but Mr Martin described their present situation as “challenging”.
Earlier on Saturday, Mr Martin said there was constant communication between Camp Shamrock and the outpost and that “I have been advised that morale is good, despite the circumstances.”
Speaking at his party’s Cairde Fáil dinner in the Clayton Hotel last night, Mr Martin said the UN has made a protest against the Israeli government to desist and withdraw from proximity to 652.
“The protection of our soldiers. That is my number one priority right now, is to protect our soldiers,” he said.
“In situations like that, the potential for missiles to go in the wrong direction. That’s the key concern. We have professional soldiers. They’re very professional, brave, they’re courageous, they’re honourable, they’re in the best tradition of UN peacekeeping.”
Mr Martin said the Government had done a bilateral ‘démarche’ [diplomatic protest] with Israel in relation to the movement of its troops so close to the outpost.
The Defences Forces’ 124th Infantry Battalion, Ireland’s contribution to the Unifil missions, is comprised of 370 troops. However, there are currently fewer than 300 troops in the area of operations due, in part, to a large contingent of personnel returning to Ireland on leave before the latest hostilities.
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