Written Answers. - Overseas Missions.
Billy Timmins
Question:
58
Mr. Timmins
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the number of occasions on which his Department has lodged protests with the Israeli Government as a result of incidents involving Irish troops in UNIFIL; if he will give details of these protests involved; and the Israeli response in this regard.
[16766/99]
The safety and well-being of all Irish troops serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, and indeed with all UN peacekeeping operations throughout the world, is of paramount concern to the Government, to my colleague the Minister for Defence and to me as Minister for Foreign Affairs. For this reason, all attacks or close firings involving our troops are treated with the utmost seriousness and urgency by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Since the beginning of the year there has been a number of close firing incidents, escalating in frequency and intensity, involving members of the Irish UNIFIL contingent in South Lebanon. These culminated on 31 May in the tragic death of Private William Kedian and the critical wounding of Private Ronnie Rushe.
The Department of Foreign Affairs maintains close liaison with the Department of Defence in relation to all indiscriminate targeting of Irish members of the UNIFIL contingent. Close liaison is also maintained with the UN authorities both in Lebanon and New York. Whenever such incidents take place, a vigorous protest is lodged with the appropriate government involved. In cases involving armed elements in Lebanon – namely Hizbollah – the protest is lodged with the Lebanese Government. In the case of the Israeli Defence Forces and the South Lebanon Army, who are trained, equipped and paid by Israel, the protest is lodged with the Israeli Government. Reflecting the increase in the number of close firings, the number of protests lodged since the beginning of the year has also increased.
On 11 February, following an incident on 7 February when Israeli Defence Forces-South Lebanon Army fired into the Irish Battalion area of operations, the Department of Foreign Affairs protested in the strongest terms to the Israeli Ambassador in Dublin. On that occasion one mortar round impacted on the roof of the Company HQ at UN position P-38 wounding two members of the Defence Forces – Corporal Roche and Private Flaherty. The Israeli Ambassador expressed his regret and denied that there had been any policy change on the part of his government towards the Irish UNIFIL contingent. He promised to bring our protest to the attention of his government.
On 4 March the Department of Foreign Affairs lodged another protest about two further incidents involving the Irish troops at Rshaf on 13 and 16 February. Again the Israeli Ambassador emphasised that there was no change in the Israeli attitude to UNIFIL, but undertook to bring our protest to the attention of his authorities.
On 12 March, when the Israeli Ambassador called to see the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs on a separate bilateral matter, the Secretary General took the opportunity to raise again the issue of close firings. He expressed our fears that such incidents could very easily result in loss of life.
Notwithstanding these protests, the incidents continued. On 31 May Private Kedian, a 22-year-old serving with UNIFIL, was killed in Barasheet in South Lebanon by a mortar fired by the pro-Israeli South Lebanon Army. Two other Irish soldiers serving with UNIFIL were wounded, one very seriously. On 1 June I summoned the Israeli Ambassador to Leinster House. I protested the incident in the strongest possible terms. I insisted that there must be an immediate cessation of such incidents and demanded that the Israeli Government take firm action to prevent such indiscriminate targeting of the UNIFIL contingent.
The Israeli Ambassador expressed regret at the death of Private Kedian and the wounding of Private Rushe and undertook to bring my protest to the immediate attention of his government.
More recently, on 11 June, a further vigorous protest – regarding a series of six close firing incidents on 10 June involving the Irish UNIFIL contingent position – was lodged by the Department of Foreign Affairs with the Israeli Ambassador. On that occasion, although there were no injuries, two of the Irish positions were struck during the firings. I also instructed the Irish Ambassador to Israel to lodge a protest with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was done on Tuesday 15 June. Again the Israeli authorities expressed regret and promised follow up action.
All of these incidents are a cause of the greatest concern to the Government.
We are all aware that there are always risks involved for the brave men and women engaged in peacekeeping. However, neither I nor the Government can accept a situation where Irish personnel working on behalf of the UN are subject to reckless and indiscriminate fire. If such a situation were to continue, we would have no option but to take steps to protect our troops, including reconsideration of our involvement with UNIFIL.
