Irish President Condemns Israel Threats to Irish UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon

The President of Ireland President Michael D Higgins has said it is “outrageous” of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to threaten the lives of Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon. This comes after Israeli forces invading Lebanon called for United Nations peacekeeping troops to move from areas of military activity for their own protection and safety. President Higgins said: “It is outrageous that the Israel Defence Forces have threatened this peacekeeping force and sought to have them evacuate the villages they are defending" He went on to say “Indeed, Israel is demanding that the entire  United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) operating under UN mandates walk away.” Ireland has a contingent of nearly 300 peacekeepers and is part of an allocation of 10,000 Unifil soldiers. 

Image: Irish Peacekeepers at a ceremony in Beirut in 2022 honouring a comrade who had been killed.