Lebanese orphanage supported by Irish defence forces damaged in Israeli air strike
Pictures of bomb damage to Tibnine orphanage in southern Lebanon
A Lebanese orphanage supported by the Irish Defence Forces has been severely damaged in an Israeli air strike.
The orphanage, in the town of Tibnine, was empty at the time as its 40 children had been evacuated after the launch of the Israeli offensive on September 23.
A building next door suffered a direct hit at around 10pm on Friday night, and the blast blew out windows and doors in the orphanage.
It also tore through walls and appears to have destroyed the property's generators and air conditioning systems.
Shrapnel and huge chunks of masonry litter every room and corridor all along the side of the building nearest the blast.
The damage, which is also understood to have hit recently installed solar panels, is on top of the damage the orphanage suffered when Israel first started bombing the southern Lebanese town.
Then bombs exploding within 50 to 100 metres of the orphanage left the 40 children cowering in terror as debris flew in and around them.
Staff, led by orphanage director Ali Saad, quickly put the children into a bus and they joined the hundreds of thousands of people who fled to Beirut, to get away from Israeli air attacks on targets across southern Lebanon at the time.
After their 15-hour journey to the Lebanese capital, they were put up in a hotel near the centre of the city.
But the increase in bomb attacks on the city led to the children being split up and housed in a mixture of around 20 different homes.
Mr Saad said: “We were told that smoke could be seen from the area around the orphanage.
“But as it was too risky to move around at night to check, because of the drones that monitor the town, we were only able to survey the damage early this morning.
“I am appalled at what has happened.
“The orphanage has taken years to establish and all the hard work and efforts over those years now lie in ruins.
“It is just so terrible to see what has been done.
“We absolutely condemn what has happened to what is one of the best-known buildings in southern Lebanon.
“The international community is well aware that this building is here.”
The Defence Forces soldiers serving with Unifil in southern Lebanon have been informed.
It is also understood Defence Minister and Tánaiste Micheál Martin has also been informed.
He has repeatedly met children and staff from the orphanage when he has visited in his capacity as Taoiseach or Tánaiste and Minister of Defence in the last two years.
Tibnine itself - and its orphanage in particular - has always held its place in the hearts of anybody who has served in Lebanon since the 1980s.
Although the orphanage was built with the help and support of peacekeepers from the Netherlands in 1979, Irish peacekeepers have been heavily involved with it ever since.
This was especially the case when they were based in the town.
During the 1980s, Irish soldiers supplied the orphanage with food and helped to equip and install bedrooms.
Irish medics serving with the UN have also done health checks on the children and as well as providing fresh water, soldiers have also taught English to the children.
Funding for the orphanage 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 cooperation programme, and is for so-called 'micro projects'.
Funds supplied by Irish Aid and Defences Forces personnel have supplied buses over the years, as well as a kitchen and a playground.
Irish soldiers came into their own during the so-called July War of 2006, when they helped shield and protect orphans during what turned out to be a 34-day armed conflict between Hezbollah paramilitaries and Israeli forces.
A Defence Forces spokesperson said: “Our Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, our Chief of Staff, the entire Defence Forces community, in particular our Veterans who have served in UNIFIL, are shocked and saddened to learn of the damage that has befallen Tibnine.
“Although no longer in the Irish Area of Operations, strong historical ties remain.
“Soldiers of the 124th Inf Bn visited the Tibnine orphanage on the 11th of September, where they conducted maintenance and repairs of bedframes, wardrobes and cupboards.
“This project was funded through donations from serving personnel.
“The Irish Contingent, through the Department of Foreign Affairs funding, facilitated the purchase, delivery and installation of carpets and furniture at the end of September.
“The project was completed.
“However, the ceremony to mark the completion of the project was scheduled for 26 September but due to the deterioration in the security situation it was postponed until a more permissible environment prevails.”
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