LAST UPDATE | 10 Oct
IRISH TROOPS WERE unharmed after Israel’s army opened different positions held by UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.
Unifil – the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon – said Israeli tank fire struck its headquarters in Lebanon’s south, wounding two members
Taoiseach Simon Harris said that he has received a briefing notifying him that “all Irish troops are accounted for” following the incident.
Harris said any firing “in the vicinity of UNIFIL troops or facilities” was “reckless and must stop” immediately.
Reporting by Eoghan Dalton and Niall O’Connor
In the past hour, the Tánaiste has told the Dáil that all Irish troops are “accounted for and well” following the incident.
Micheál Martin said it “illustrates the high-risk environment” peacekeepers are operating within in Lebanon.
“Israel is not listening to its allies even in terms of progressing its agenda,” Martin said, adding that the state seemed intent on “all out war” in the Middle East.
Martin said he hoped to receive a “comprehensive report” on what happened in relation to the UNIFIL base soon.
On X, the Taoiseach recounted the news he received about Irish troops in the aftermath of today’s incident.
I have been briefed on the situation in Southern Lebanon. All Irish troops are accounted for and continue to do their duties with distinction. Any firing in the vicinity of UNIFIL troops or facilities is reckless and must stop.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) October 10, 2024
The Irish Defence Forces has said Irish positions have “not been subject to incoming fire” today.
It made a brief statement on social media.
Situation Update on Irish Defence Forces serving with overseas missions in Lebanon for family members
— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) October 10, 2024
The Defence Forces can confirm all IRISH pers are safe and accounted for. All necessary force protection measures are being observed.
The Defence Forces can also confirm that…
UNIFIL itself has alleged that two of its peacekeepers were injured after “an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower” at its headquarters in Naqoura, hitting it and causing the troops to fall from the tower.
“The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in hospital,” UNIFIL said in the statement.
It also accused the Israeli army of firing on other UN positions, including in Labbouneh, where they are accused of “hitting the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system”.
In another incident yesterday, IDF soldiers are said to have “deliberately fired at and disabled” the UN position’s perimeter-monitoring cameras.
This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall. The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in hospital.
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) October 10, 2024
UNIFIL also warned the Israeli army that “any deliberate attack” on its peacekeepers is a “grave violation”.
“We remind the IDF and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times,” the organisation said.
“UNIFIL peacekeepers are present in south Lebanon to support a return to stability under Security Council mandate. Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of Security Council resolution 1701.
“We are following up with the IDF on these matters.”
Layout of the region
One of the locations reportedly fired at by the IDF was UNIFIL’s main base at Naqoura.
The seaside area of Naqoura is on the western flank of the UNIFIL area of operations in South Lebanon.
This location is where the large UNIFIL headquarters is located which includes offices for command and meeting rooms. Other facilities include a hospital facility and accommodation for a large amount of troops.
There is a town next to the camp and this has apparently been the focus of Israeli activity in recent days.
There is a small team of Irish soldiers based at Naqoura who work in the headquarters staff. They are in management positions and administrative roles.
The other Irish camps are some distance from the Naqoura Headquarters and are about 40 minutes by road inland or roughly about 30 kilometres.
It’s a picturesque area with sandy beaches, which are not used due to the threat of landmines.
Tánaiste: ‘There needs to be full accountability’
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has condemned the IDF for “targeting and firing” on UNIFIL positions in Lebanon, saying that “full accountability” will be needed after a tank fired on an observation tower.
“It is reprehensible and unacceptable to injure peacekeepers and to put them in harm’s way,” the Minister for Foreign Affairs also said.
“Israel has an obligation to protect peacekeepers and its actions are in breach of international humanitarian law.
“There needs to be full accountability for these actions.”
Meanwhile, a man wounded during a mass stabbing attack yesterday in the Israeli town of Hadera has died of his wounds.
AFP is reporting that Rafael Mordechai Fishof was one of the six people wounded in what Israeli police called a “terrorist attack” in four locations of Hadera, before the assailant was “neutralised”.
“Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the medical team, the injured person was pronounced dead,” said a statement from the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera, where the 35-year-old Fishof had been admitted.
Hamas has said the attack was a “heroic stabbing operation” and called for “more painful strikes against the occupation (Israel)”.
Israeli authorities have not provided information about the suspect but Israeli media identified him as Ahmad Jabareen, 36, an Israeli citizen from the town of Umm al-Fahm.
The Hadera attack came more than a week after seven people were killed in a shooting and stabbing claimed by Hamas in the Israeli commercial hub Tel Aviv.
In a new statement by Taoiseach Simon Harris, the work of UN peacekeepers is described as “sacrosanct” and he reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire.
“I am deeply concerned by reports that the Israeli Defence Forces have fired at UNIFIL positions at its headquarters in Naquora. We send our solidarity to the military personnel who suffered light injuries as a result,” Harris said.
“The members of the Irish Defence Forces serving with UNIFIL, both in Camp Shamrock and in posts close to the Blue Line, were not involved and remain well. They are continuing to carry out their mission with distinction, despite the extremely difficult circumstances.”
The Taoiseach said the safety of Irish soldiers in Lebanon “remains paramount” and he is being kept updated by the Defence Forces and the UN Sectetary General.
“Firing on peacekeepers can never be tolerated or acceptable. The Blue Helmet worn by UN peacekeepers must be sacrosanct,” Harris added.
“They are serving on behalf of the international community in some of the most challenging places in the world. They are not combatants, and their role must be respected at all times.”
The news of the attack on UNIFIL was roundly condemned in the Dáil today.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said it was yet another example of Israel’s “continuing spreading of mayhem, of war and destruction, of civilian deaths and casualties” across the region.
Sinn Féin’s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty called it an example of Israel “crossing a red line” in the Middle East.
McDonald says international community must ‘end Israel’s impunity’ after peacekeeper incident
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has expressed her grave concern for UNIFIL personnel in Lebanon, including Irish peacekeepers.
She said the attack on the UN peacekeeping positions shows Israel “crossing yet another ‘redline’”, accusing world leaders of handing a “carte blanche” to the Middle Eastern state.
“Firing on Unifil positions in Lebanon highlights once again that Israel believes it can do whatever it wants, without consequences,” McDonald said.
“The international community must draw the line. The only way to stop Israel’s onslaught on the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples is to end its impunity, to hold Israel to account, to exert pressure so that a ceasefire is the only option.”
Italy’s defence minister summoned the Israeli ambassador Thursday, a government source told AFP, after the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said it had been hit by Israeli tank fire.
Guido Crosetto said the situation was “intolerable” after two soldiers were injured.
A UNIFIL spokeswoman has said the two injured soldiers were Indonesian.
The peacekeepers did not suffer serious injuries, “but they remain in hospital,” it said.
To roundup what has happened so far today, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said an Israeli tank fired on its headquarters in the country’s south, wounding two of its members
It also accused Israel of “repeatedly” hitting its positions – no Irish troops were harmed during the incidents.
It is the most serious incident reported by the mission since it said last week it had rejected Israeli demands to “relocate” from some of its positions.
UNIFIL, which has about 10,000 peacekeepers stationed in south Lebanon, has called for a ceasefire since an escalation between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on September 23, after a year of cross-border fire.
“This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall,” the force said.
A UNIFIL spokeswoman has said the two injured soldiers were Indonesian.
The peacekeepers did not suffer serious injuries, “but they remain in hospital,” it said.
Taoiseach: This has to be a moment where the world says no
Simon Harris has spoken in the US about Israel’s attack on UN peacekeepers, calling it “utterly unacceptable”.
Addressing students of Georgetown University in Washington DC as part of the state visit, the Taoiseach said this “has to be a moment where the world says no” to further war in the region.
But he warned that world leaders would show a lack of moral courage “if we say it in hushed tones or if we say ‘no, but’”, in its response to the attack.
“I understand very well that everybody, any right thinking person in the world wants to see a ceasefire,” he said, “But I also know this: the efforts of the world to date to bring about a ceasefire have been ineffective.”
Harris has come under fire for his approach to the US visit, amid his avoidance at directly raising the sale of the US supplying arms to Israel.
Harris says what's happening now to UNIFIL troops in Lebanon is ‘utterly unacceptable’ pic.twitter.com/5fc2iLZmHr
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) October 10, 2024
Harris says it’s no longer enough to just say you want a ceasefire and says every lever at our disposal in the name of peace should be used, and for different countries, that will mean different things.
Italy’s defence minister has slammed the “shooting” at the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon as “intolerable”, after the force said it had been hit by Israeli tank fire.
Defence minister Guido Crosetto said he “protested” to Israel’s defence minister and summoned the Israeli ambassador over the incident.
“The shooting at the UNIFIL headquarters” and other incidents involving “small arms fire” are “intolerable, they must be carefully and decisively avoided”, Crosetto said in a statement.
“For these reasons, I protested to my Israeli counterpart and the Israeli ambassador to Italy,” he said.
Italy has more than 1,000 troops in the 10,000 strong UNIFIL force in south Lebanon that said Israeli tank fire on its headquarters wounded two members.
Crosetto said he told Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant “that what is happening… starting from the shooting at the UNIFIL headquarters is, for me and for the Italian government, unacceptable.
“Any possible error that could put the soldiers, both Italian and UNIFIL, at risk must be avoided,” he said.
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