Vol. 416 No. 4
47 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the Government's response to the killing by Israeli forces in the Lebanon of Sheikh Abbas Moussawi, his wife and their five year old son on 16 February; if he will outline his assessment of the consequences of this action for the search for peace in the region and the release of the remaining hostages; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
On 20 February Ireland and the other member states of the European Community expressed grave concern at the recent worsening of the situation in South Lebanon, which resulted in Israeli, Lebanese and Palestinian deaths and injury to Fijian members of UNIFIL. The statement condemned all acts of violence in the region, whatever their origin.
The attack by Isreali forces on the motorcade of Sheikh Abbas Moussawi and the killing of Sheikh Moussawi, his wife and young son was deplorable. These killings and the other recent acts of violence could jeopardise and search for peace in the region and complicate the efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
The entry of Israeli forces into Lebanon was also serious, both from the point of view of the civilian population in South Lebanon and of UN personnel, including Irish soldiers serving there. I conveyed those concerns to the Israeli Embassy and in particular the Government's grave concern at the indiscriminate and unprovoked shelling of Irish battalion positions. The Israeli forces have since withdrawn to their self-declared security zone in south Lebanon. The situation there has become less dangerous but remains tense.
