Israeli bombing of Lebanon forces children to flee orphanage supported by Irish Defence Forces

Girls from Tibnine orphanage at Unifil's Camp Shamrock in Lebanon at a Christmas party hosted by members of the Defence Forces last year. Bombs landed within 50 to 100 metres of the orphanage after the recent attacks. File picture: Ali Saad/Tibnine Orphanage

Children from an orphanage supported by the Irish Defence Forces have been forced to flee to Beirut from their southern Lebanon base because of Israeli bombing.

Dubbed Ireland’s embassy in south Lebanon, Tibnine Orphanage was at the centre of a major bombing campaign that started on September 23. More than 600 people have already died, including more than 170 women and children.

Bombs landed within 50 to 100 metres of the orphanage after the attacks began and saw 40 children cowering behind thick walls.

“It was absolutely terrifying,” an orphanage staff member told the Irish Examiner. “We could hear the jets overhead, then the bombs or missiles hitting and exploding. They were going off all around us and it was like a horrific war film, and you just didn’t know where they were going to drop next.

The children were absolutely terrified, especially when the bombs started landing near us and also the Tibnine Hospital. 

Bombs also landed near the town’s Lebanese Red Cross HQ, with one exploding right beside the walls of the station’s yard where its ambulances are parked.

Orphanage staff put the children into a bus and they joined the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the Israeli air attack on targets across southern Lebanon, and more lately now, in Beirut itself. However, while the 105km journey to Beirut from Tibnine would normally take two hours, it took the orphanage staff 15 hours to get to the city.

“The roads were all packed with people trying to get away from the Israeli bombing,” the staff member said. “At one point, I think there were 500,000 people all heading the same direction.” 

The orphanage was built with the help and support of peacekeepers from the Netherlands in 1979, but Irish peacekeepers have been heavily involved with it ever since.

Funding for the orphanage, which normally houses up to 65 children, comes from a variety of sources, including the Lebanese government, Defence Forces personnel serving with the UN, and donations from UN veterans. Funding usually comes via Irish Aid, Ireland’s development co-operation programme, and is for so-called 'micro projects'.

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Micheál Martin has repeatedly met children and staff from the orphanage when he has visited in his capacity as Taoiseach or Tánaiste and Defence Minister.

During the 1980s, Irish soldiers supplied the orphanage with food and helped to equip and install bedrooms. Irish medics serving with the UN also do health checks on the children and provide an element of care for them. 

As well as providing fresh water, soldiers also teach English to the children. Funds supplied by Irish Aid and Defences Forces personnel have also supplied buses over the years, as well as a kitchen and a playground.

The Israeli Defence Forces was asked for a comment about bombs landing near the orphanage and the local hospital and Lebanese Red Cross.

It was also asked if it could make any assurances that every effort would be made to ensure these and other civilian buildings in Tibnine would not be blown up. A spokesperson said a statement will be issued later today.