Mayo Senator condemns Israeli attack on UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon

Fianna Fail senator Lisa Chambers expressed outrage over an Israeli attack that targeted a location where Irish UN peacekeepers are based in Lebanon.

Chambers, a former member of the reserve defence forces stated on social media, “Absolutely shocking that the IDF have targeted UNIFIL and fired on Irish peacekeepers. Israel must be held to account for flagrant breaches of international law. The rules apply to all of us. Thinking of the Irish soldiers and their families.”

The condemnation comes after two UN peacekeepers were injured when an Israeli tank fired towards a watchtower at a UN base in Naqoura, southern Lebanon. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that the watchtower, located at its headquarters, sustained a direct hit, causing the peacekeepers to fall. Thankfully, their injuries were not life-threatening, but they remain in hospital under observation.

UNIFIL, a peacekeeping mission established in 1978 to monitor hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border, has several outposts in the region. The mission also reported that Israeli soldiers fired on another UN base in Ras Naqoura, striking the entrance to a bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering and causing significant damage to vehicles and communications systems.

“Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of Security Council resolution 1701,” UNIFIL said in a statement, adding that it is actively engaging with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to address the situation.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of UN personnel in the region. UNIFIL reiterated the need for all parties to respect the “inviolability of UN premises” and to ensure the safety of peacekeeping staff at all times.