On Monday, the Irish Premier, Simon Harris, had a telephonic discussion with the President of Israel, Yitzhak Herzog. He wanted to convey the Irish Government’s alarm about the deteriorating conditions in the South of Lebanon. During the conversation, Harris stressed the Irish Government’s demand that the role and mandate of Unifil must be honoured consistently.
The peacekeeping Irish personnel’s safety within the region was of “utmost importance” according to Harris. His office released a statement post the conversation. It revealed Harris consider the intentional attacks on Unifil positions as a blatant and absolutely intolerable violation of international norms.
The encounter between Harris and President Herzog occurs in the wake of several Unifil peacekeepers sustaining injuries in the recent past. Unifil reported Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) moving beyond the Blue Line into Lebanon and penetrating a UN location early Sunday morning. Due to one such incident at the UN base in Ramyah, Unifil troops experienced smoke-induced injuries.
Ireland, in collaboration with 33 other countries contributing to Unifil, have endorsed a statement instigated by Poland. This statement condemns the recent episodes in Lebanon and demands respect towards the safety of the UN personnel.
The call with Herzog had Harris insisting the need for Unifil to be capable of performing its duties without interference. He also emphasised the rich history of the Irish Defence Forces’ contribution in Lebanon. An urgent ceasefire was demanded by the Irish Taoiseach.
Additionally, Harris took the occasion to extend the Irish Government’s heartfelt sympathies to the people of Israel marking the recent anniversary of the Hamas assaults on Israel on October 7th. He voiced his support for the friends and family of those retained in captivity and appealed for their immediate and unconditional release.