Vol. 431 No. 2
6 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Defence whether he has satisfied himself that existing communications between the Irish UNIFIL contingent and Israeli military authorities are adequate to ensure the safety of Irish Forces in Southern Lebanon.
30 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Israeli Government has indicated a desire to establish direct lines of communication operating between the Irish contingent and the Israeli military command; and if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that other contingents have such communications.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 30 together.
Arrangements to ensure the safety of Irish personnel serving with UNIFIL are the subject of constant review by the Government. Communications between the Israeli military authorities and the Irish contingent are conducted through UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, South Lebanon which maintains continuous contact with all parties. This is the practice for all contingents serving with UNIFIL none of which is in direct formal contact with the Israeli forces.
Irish commanders meet informally with local commanders, including Israeli representatives, in order to establish liaison with the various parties in conflict in the immediate operational environment of the Irish contingent. It is also the practice for Irish commanders to meet Israeli officers in Israel in a social setting where matters of mutual concern are discussed.
I am satisfied that the existing procedures governing UNIFIL communications are effective. Communications alone, however, do not guarantee safety nor should the safety of Irish troops in Lebanon be in any way dependent on the type of communications referred to in the questions.
In the aftermath of serious incidents over the years there has been a perception that there is a timelag between the time of the incident and in communicating reports. Will the Minister see to it that communications are improved? Apparently, other countries with troops in Lebanon have better lines of communication to the Israeli authorities.
I deny that there is a timelag. With the greatest of respect to the questioners, I have a good idea where the suggestion that other contingents in the Lebanon have better lines of communication comes from and it is false. The truth of the matter is that the communications centre for all contingents is located in Naquora. The suggestion that there has been a lapse in regard to the bombing from the direction from which the suggestion, and indeed question, may have come or from South Lebanon is untrue. The reality is that the United Nations has indicated that communications of this nature will be dealt with in Naquora and nowhere else and this applies in the case of all countries with battalions serving in the Lebanon, including the Irish contingent.
Would the Minister agree that the most important communication we could get from the Israeli authorities and the Israeli military authorities in particular is that the SLA, which operates under the control of the Israelis, will not in the future attack United Nations forces serving in the Lebanon?
I share the Deputy's view in that regard and I had an opportunity to express it when I visited the Lebanon last March. It would be of great benefit to the people of the Lebanon if the SLA were to withdraw from South Lebanon back to where they came — I do not know where they come from but we do know who supports them——
That is where they come from.
It would be worthwhile if they put down their arms in the interests of securing peace in the region.
Is the Minister aware that if those people, the South Lebanese Army, who are Christian Arabs, were unarmed they would have been annihilated a long time ago by other hostile forces? It is only fair that that should be put on the record.
This is not the time for statements; questions, please.
I am asking the Minister if he is aware that without arms there would have been genocide and the war would have been over a long time ago? What is happening in Bosnia would have been repeated in South Lebanon a long time ago and there would have been no one to protect those people.
I disagree with the Deputy.
