Irish UN peacekeepers not budging from Lebanon outpost despite Israel's evacuation request

The Irish Mirror has confirmed that Israel wanted our UNIFIL peacekeepers out of the UNP 6-52 – right on the border between Lebanon and the Jewish State, but the request was rebuffed

Irish United Nations peacekeepers aren’t budging from an isolated border outpost in war-ravaged south Lebanon - despite a request from Israel for them to evacuate.

The Irish Mirror has confirmed that Israel wanted our UNIFIL peacekeepers out of the UNP 6-52 – right on the border between Lebanon and the Jewish State, but the request was rebuffed.

We understand the request was made to UNIFIL HQ in Naqoura in south west Lebanon shortly after Israel launched a limited invasion of the country earlier this week.

READ MORE - 24 Irish citizens and dependents evacuated from Lebanon

READ MORE - Government not considering withdrawal of hundreds of Irish peacekeepers from southern Lebanon

Sources say Israel bosses contacted UNIFIL HQ to ask that all outposts along the so-called Blue Line – the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon – be evacuated.

The Israelis wanted the outposts evacuated as they were close to intense fighting that has been raging since the Israeli mini invasion on Monday.

Ireland has one outpost on the Blue Line, a small camp called UNP6-52.

The Polish Army, who work alongside the Irish, man UNP6-50, 5kms to the south west – but neither of them or any of more than 30 outposts along the Blue Line will be evacuated, UNIFIL insisted.

And a spokeswoman for the Irish Department of Defence last night told The Irish Mirror that any decision on the deployment of the Irish troops in the mission was one for UNIFIL.

She said: "The Department of Defence/Defence Forces have no comment to make in relation to this operational matter.

"The positioning of military personnel within the UNIFIL mission area is a matter that falls under the responsibility of UNIFIL’s Force Commander."

UNP6-52 is close to the fighting and around 1km from the Lebanese town of Maroun El-Ras where around 10 Israel soldiers were killed by Hezbollah fighters in an ambush on Tuesday.

It holds a platoon of Irish soldiers, led by a lieutenant, who all spend around a month there monitoring the border - and away from their comrades at Camp Shamrock.

That is normally home to around 350 Irish soldiers, but some 70 of them were on leave back in Ireland when the invasion took place - and they cannot make it back to their colleagues.

Instead, they are being kept on standby in Ireland – ready to be flown to Lebanon if the situation deteriorates even more and they are needed to rescue the Irish soldiers stuck there.

A Defence Forces statement last night said it was in regular contact with the UNIFIL unit, as well as a small number officers in two other United Nations outfits in the area, UNTSO and UNDOF.

The statement read: "Defence Forces Headquarters remain in regular contact with our leadership on the ground, getting updates on the ongoing situation in our three mission areas (UNDOF, UNTSO and UNIFIL).

"The safety and security of our personnel stationed in the region remains of paramount concern to the General Staff, and we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the families and friends of our personnel for their steadfast support throughout this deployment.

"UNIFIL HQ has instructed all battalions to limit movements with the ongoing situation.

"Assessments on the supply corridor north of the (River) Litani to Beirut were made at the beginning of the escalations and it was determined that the current environment is not conducive to the movement of large convoys.

"Personnel currently on leave rotation were instructed to hold their return travel to Lebanon and remain on standby until a secure window becomes available to return them to UNP 2-45. These plans are being reviewed on a daily basis."

Meanwhile, Ireland has confirmed it has evacuated some of our citizens form the war-torn country.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin – who is minster for defence as well as foreign affairs- revealed yesterday that 24 Irish citizens and dependents have been evacuated from Beirut International Airport.

They got out on flights organised by the Netherlands and Canada. More than 100 other Irish citizens are still in the country and are choosing to stay.

Mr Martin said the Irish evacuees could arrive home as early as Saturday.

He said: “I am pleased to announce that two groups of Irish citizens were assisted to depart Lebanon today.

"The citizens departed on flights operated by Ireland’s international partners and they are expected to arrive in Ireland over the weekend.

"Throughout this crisis, the Department of Foreign Affairs and our Embassy in Cairo has remained in regular contact with Irish citizens in Lebanon.

"We have worked closely with our EU and other partners to exchange information and coordinate our consular response to the situation in Lebanon.

"This close cooperation meant that Irish citizens, along with others from a number of countries, were able to depart Lebanon today. This is an excellent example of the importance of international cooperation."

He also said many other Irish citizens were still deeply rooted to Lebanon – and he understood why they wanted to stay.

He said: “I would like to thank the governments of The Netherlands and Canada who together assisted the departure of 24 Irish citizens and dependents today.

"I would also like to thank our consular response teams in Cairo, Dublin and across the Middle East who continue to support Irish citizens in the region.

"Many Irish citizens in Lebanon are deeply rooted in the country, with family, work and other links. While we have been able to assist almost all Irish citizens who have expressed a wish to leave, understandably many have decided to remain.

"My Department will remain in close contact with all citizens still in Lebanon over the days and weeks ahead."

Israel is pounding Lebanon in a bid to destroy Hezbollah – an Islamist organisation that has been attacking the Jewish state almost every day for a year. Heavy fighting is now raging in much of southern Lebanon - including in the Irish atera of operations.

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