Troops on the Golan make their views known to UN review

Embattled Irish troops in the Golan Heights are making their views known to an on-the-ground UN review as the Government awaits a decision from UN headquarters on their request for a change in the mission.

Defence Minister Simon Coveney said that the Government was “insisting on an appropriate response from the UN” to the worsening security situation on the Syrian side of the demilitarised zone.

He said a final decision on whether or not to send a replacement battalion to the Golan Heights — scheduled for the end of this month — was contingent on what decision the UN made in relation to the structure, makeup, and mandate of the mission.

A convoy of Irish troops were fired upon by Syrian rebels late last week as they rescued more than 40 Filipino colleagues besieged in an outpost in Syria.

Mr Coveney said the recent violence — including the deliberate targeting of UN troops — changed the purpose of the peacekeeping mission.

“It has effectively changed from monitoring and observing a demilitarised zone to being dragged into a civil war in Syria,” he said. “UN posts have actively been targeted by rebel forces over the last four or five days — that changes the level of risk to UN peacekeepers.”

He said the 46th battalion was ready to go at the end of the month to replace the 44th battalion — but that, first, he needed UN reassurances. “We are preparing for rotation, but at same time we are insisting on an appropriate response from the UN, that we are sending troops to a mission that has acceptable level or risk.”

Mr Coveney said he has spoken to the Irish ambassador to the UN about the matter. He said a local UN review had already begun in the Golan Heights and the Irish commander there, Paul Kennedy, was “very much involved in that review”.

He said he presumed this review would make recommendations to UN headquarters about what needs to be done to change the mission. “Obviously, if they can’t do that or they deem it inappropriate then we’ll have to make decisions on that basis, as will the UN,” warned Mr Coveney.

He said Ireland needed to be “very firm and clear” on its position, repeating that there was an “unacceptable level of risk” in the region.