Tánaiste Simon Harris has begun diplomatic efforts among European counterparts in a bid to ensure the United Nations interim force in Lebanon (Unifil) is extended amid concerns the United States will act to effectively end, or scale back, the deployment.
There are currently more than 340 members of the Defence Forces serving with the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. Last month Mr Harris secured Cabinet approval for Irish involvement to continue for a further 12 months.
However, Unifil’s mandate expires on August 31st and the United Nations Security Council must vote to extend it. There are now concerns internationally that the US will vote against its extension or will move to scale it back through reduced funding.
The Israeli media has reported that authorities there believe Israel’s strikes on Lebanon last year weakened Hizbullah, meaning Lebanese armed forces have proven capable of suppressing the group, negating the need for the 10,500-strong Unifil force in the region.
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Mr Harris’s office has confirmed that at the weekend he began to “reach out to other European countries to ensure the renewal of the Unifil mandate in southern Lebanon”. He also travelled to Brussels on Sunday for a high-level meeting of foreign affairs ministers scheduled for Monday.
The meeting comes at a time of deepening concern about the security situation in the Middle East following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
“The Tánaiste will impress on his foreign counterparts on the absolute need for the mission to continue, in order to ensure stability and peace in the region,” Mr Harris’s office said when asked about Unifil’s future now being under threat.
“Ireland has an unbroken record with Unifil for many decades and has over 340 troops deployed at Camp Shamrock. The French are due to lead the negotiations to extend the mandate with a decision expected to be made in August.”
[ Irish peacekeepers come under fire in LebanonOpens in new window ]
Mr Harris’s office added he had been briefed on the situation in the Middle East by the Defence Forces. He would also “continue to discuss options in relation to the future of the mission” with chief of staff of the Defence Forces Lieut Gen Rossa Mulcahy.
Separately, he was also briefed on a number of incidents that took place in southern Lebanon in recent days, though all Irish troops “are accounted for and well”.
The Defence Forces have participated in Unifil since 1978. To date, more than 30,000 Irish personnel have served in the eastern Mediterranean country, with 47 fatalities.
Both Hizbullah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have frequently breached the ceasefire in the Irish area of operations, while unexploded ordnance from the Israeli invasion late last year pose a serious danger to Irish troops and their colleagues.
In October, the IDF told Ireland to remove its peacekeepers from an outpost on the border with Lebanon as its invasion of the country continued. About 30 Irish Defence Forces personnel then became stranded in their post when IDF personnel moved in beside them, at position 6-52.
The position is southeast of Marun ar Ras, inside Lebanese territory, and where the IDF created a firing position as part of its clashes with Hizbullah before eventually moving on.
