Taoiseach says attack on UNIFIL peacekeepers must be turning point in Middle East conflict

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed on Thursday morning that two peacekeepers were injured after an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Merkava tank “fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall”.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said the attack on UNIFIL troops in Lebanon must be a turning point in the war in the Middle East he criticised the Israeli attacks on Peacekeepers.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed on Thursday morning that two peacekeepers were injured after an Israeli Defence Forces (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,” it said.

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“[On Wednesday], IDF soldiers deliberately fired at and disabled the position’s perimeter-monitoring cameras.

“They also deliberately fired on UNP 1-32A in Ras Naqoura, where regular Tripartite meetings were held before the conflict began, damaging lighting and a relay station.

“Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of Security Council resolution 1701.”

The attack on the UNIFIL outposts came 24 hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to US President Joe Biden via telephone.

Following his separate meeting with President Biden, the Taoiseach said he was leaving the White House with “the view that the President had a conversation with the Prime Minister of Israel today that I hope turns out to be one of real substance in terms of action”.

Asked if he was “disappointed” and if he still had “confidence” following the UNIFIL attack, Mr Harris said he was in “no doubt about the significance” of what President Biden had discussed with Netanyahu.

“Israel will have to be judged always on what it does and not what it says.

“What has happened is extraordinarily concerning. The loss of civilian life is extraordinary concerning, the incursion into Lebanon is concerning.

“What’s going on in Gaza is beyond concerning. It's despicable.

“There's also very clear international law around peacekeepers.

“Being very honest, I feel the intimidatory behaviour towards peacekeepers is also unacceptable and must be protested at the highest level.

“I very clearly protested at the highest level that our own troops were involved at the outpost with both conversations on the phone with the President of the United States and with the Secretary General of the United Nations.

“I do welcome the very robust statement from UNIFIL. UNIFIL is a peacekeeping mission made up of so many countries around the world.

“That has to be a moment in time in terms of the United Nations and all of the member states that make up UNIFL protesting this in the highest regard.

“This peacekeeping mission has gone on for decades. We cannot accept intimidatory behaviour, or in the words of the UN that people would be deliberately fired upon.”

Mr Harris said the attack on UNIFIL was a “clear breach of international law” around Peacekeepers.

In his speech at Georgetown University, Mr Harris said that when Ireland speaks about the Middle East, it is “watching our own history reflected back at us and remembering our own story of suffering”.

“It is the voices of our ancestors that we hear rebuking us for not doing more,” he said.

He continued: “It is no longer enough to just say you want a ceasefire. Every lever at our disposal must be pulled in the name of peace. For different countries, that will mean different things. Humanitarian aid, supply of weapons, economic influence, diplomatic influence.”

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