Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, head of the Irish Defence Forces, has reported that the Irish soldiers in Lebanon under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) are holding up and maintaining their health, despite being subjected to calculated attacks by Israeli forces. Speaking on RTÉ’s Six One News, he commended their resolve, strength, and professionalism, all virtues that were honed through their military training.
An alarming incident occurred last Friday when an Israeli strike injured two UN peacekeepers stationed near a watchtower in southern Lebanon. This, along with the Israeli forces’ confrontation with Hizbullah, which caused a series of explosions at the main base of the peacekeepers (the second within a span of 48 hours), was described as a “serious development” by the Unifil force.
A resupply convoy successfully delivered over 100,000 litres of raw water and 2,200 boxes of bottled water to the Irish soldiers located at Camp Shamrock on the same day. A statement which acknowledged the peaceful state of their operations that day, the Defence Forces also mentioned the welcome boost to the troops’ rations that came with a fresh food supply delivery on October 9th.
General Clancy expressed his profound disapproval of the IDF’s conduct, which included gunfire in the direction of Unifil’s bases in the past 24 hours, especially considering that their proximity to an Irish Unifil camp had recently granted the Irish troops a pause from potential harm. It distressed him that the two peacekeeper injuries were the result of what he termed a “blatantly flagrant violation” that called for accountability and displeasure, especially considering the lack of acceptance for such attacks on UN peacekeepers.
Furthermore, he rejected the IDF’s claim that the firing was targeted at Hizbullah forces and was inadvertent, stating that a tank’s round hitting an observation tower “directly into it” indicated a very deliberate attack.
On the subject of whether the Irish peacekeepers should continue their stay in Lebanon, General Clancy suggested that the decision wasn’t as straightforward as a yes or no choice, noting the complexity of the situation.
Over the years, Lebanon has witnessed countless conflicts. Our primary mission there has always been to enable and bolster a society of tranquility that emerged from halting hostilities back in 2006 and even earlier.
Now, more than ever, maintaining vigilant surveillance is vital. The world must focus its attention on southern Lebanon during these challenging times,” he reiterated. He emphasised that Unifil, supported by 50 nations, must maintain its commitment and play its designated role effectively.
As we speculate about the future, my sincere hope and plea is for a termination of the ongoing violence, a de-escalation of the current situation in southern Lebanon, so that diplomatic measures can initiate.
Of paramount importance at this juncture, however, is to possess unbiased and corroborated data regarding the actual developments in Lebanon. We regretted this lack of evident information in Gaza,” he highlighted.
Furthermore, he added, “The events taking place in southern Lebanon must be documented, and those responsible for initiating these acts, regardless of their affiliations, should be held accountable.”