Taoiseach Simon Harris demands Israeli government do more to protect Irish UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

A spokesman for President Herzog later told RTE News that he strongly rejected the allegation that Israel had deliberately targeted UN peacekeepers

Taoiseach Simon Harris told the president of Israel on Monday: your army must do more to ensure the safety of our United Nations peacekeepers.

Mr Harris spoke to President Isaac Herzog to tell him the government was seriously concerned about the deteriorating situation in southern Lebanon, following Israel’s invasion two weeks ago.

And he said the security of our almost 380 soldiers was paramount.

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“I want to see this conflict end. I want to see it deescalated. I want to see a ceasefire,” Mr Harris said after the call.

And he added: “But my most important job as Taoiseach of this country, is to speak up in support of our peacekeepers, the men and women, the 379 of them who are serving with bravery and distinction.

"I conveyed to the President of Israel how worrying and anxious a time it is for the families of those peacekeepers as well.”

The phone call took place after a tense two weeks along the Blue Line, the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon.

Israel has now invaded southern Lebanon to take on Hezbollah who have fired thousands of rockets into the Jewish state in the last year – forcing some 60,000 civilians from their homes.

But that invasion – what Israel calls a limited incursion – has seen Israeli soldiers fire on UN peacekeepers and their compounds.

And they also parked Merkava tanks outside UNP6-52 – the Irish UN outpost on the border – for several days before moving away last week.

Mr Harris said: “We also saw the Israeli Defence Forces effectively come in upon our outpost. That sort of intimidatory behaviour is not acceptable.

“It is a clear breach of every norm and of international law. It can’t be tolerated – it has to be called out.

“Mr Harris said he wanted to tell the President that attacks on UN Blue Helmets were unacceptable.

He said: “I wanted to convey to him in the strongest possible terms the absolute importance of peacekeepers being respected and international law being upheld.

“I conveyed to him my view that attacks on peacekeepers were not just utterly unacceptable, but a clear breach of international law.

"In my view, Israel has breached international law. I said that directly to the president of Israel.

“I fully respect any state’s right to defend itself, I deplore all forms of terrorism but our peacekeepers deserve to be protected in any such scenario and any such scenario to defend yourself also has to be proportionate.”

But he added: “In my view, Israel has crossed yet another line. The first line was crossed in Gaza with the brutal humanitarian impact on children and civilians and now we see a further line crossed in relation to peacekeepers – in the words of the United Nations – being deliberately fired on.

“I do welcome the fact that President Herzog said to me that he understood the importance of protecting peacekeepers and he assured me that Israel would take this matter extraordinarily seriously.

“But being very honest, I will judge Israel on their actions and not their words in relation to this.”

A spokesman for President Herzog later told RTE News that he strongly rejected the allegation that Israel had deliberately targeted UN peacekeepers.

The President's office also said Mr Herzog said Israel was fulfilling its duty and right to defend itself against Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, the Defence Forces confirmed on Monday evening that our soldiers were safe.

A spokesman said: “The Defence Forces can confirm that all Irish Peacekeepers are accounted for and well.

“Irish Peacekeepers continue to operate in a tense, volatile and unpredictable environment.

“Clashes between both parties to the conflict persist in both the Irish and wider UNIFIL Area of Operations.

“Irish peacekeepers continue to monitor and report any violations of (UN peace deal)UNSCR 1701 by all parties involved, maintaining an independent and impartial stance.”

France, Britain, Italy and Germany issued a rare joint statement on Monday evening – demanding that Israel stop attacking UN posts.

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