asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the attitude taken by the United States Government at the United Nations meeting on the censure of the Israeli Government following the shooting of the Irish soldiers in the Lebanon.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Israeli Government Censure.
26.
Immediately following the murder of Privates Barrett and Smallhorne the Security Council held a meeting on 18 April at which the President of the Security Council read a statement, agreed following consultations by all members of the council, including the United States.
In this statement the members of the council expressed shock and outrage at the report received on the attacks on UNIFIL and the cold-blooded murder of peace-keeping soldiers by the de facto forces. The council strongly condemned all those who shared in the responsibility for this outrageous act.
In his own intervention the representative of the United States condemned the cowardly murder of individuals engaged, at the council's request, in the highest calling of the United Nations, the cause of peace.
Subsequently on 24 April the council adopted resolution 467 in which inter alia, it reaffirmed its determination to implement its previous resolutions relating to UNIFIL, condemned all actions contrary to the provisions of these resolutions and strongly deplored certain specific acts including those that led to loss of life among UNIFIL personnel.
The resolution was adopted by 12 votes to O with three abstentions, including the United States. In the course of a statement the US representative indicated that the US would abstain because the resolution did not, in their view, deal with the issue "in a balanced and comprehensive way".
Copies of the Security Council documents and the US statements have been placed in the Dáil Library.
In the light of the apparent indifference of the United States to the question of the treatment of our troops in the Lebanon, does the Minister believe that the United States merit the amount of loyalty we have since given them on all the issues that have been raised and on which they have so peremptorily sought loyalty and support, such as Afghanistan, the hostages and the various matters about which they have thrown their weight around Europe at the present time?
I want to put it on record that the United States have been very helpful to the Irish Government in regard to the problems experienced in Southern Lebanon and with the Israeli Government.
That is the least we could expect when we take their foreign policy line.
The UN resolution talked about the shared responsibility for the death of these soldiers. Is it not a fact that the people who share the responsibility are the Americans who supplied the Israelis, who, in turn, supplied Haddad? Therefore, the Americans were indicated in that resolution and could not support it.
I do not think there is anything to be gained by getting into verbal warfare here on the unfortunate Middle East matter. Attempts in this House to apportion blame will not achieve anything constructive.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.