Irish peacekeepers - Put Israel on notice

THE Dáil yesterday confirmed that troops will again serve as peacekeepers in the Lebanon. Continuing a long and proud tradition 440 soldiers will join the UN force in the Middle East in coming months.

A decade has passed since the main Irish peacekeeping force left the region after 23 years trying to maintain the peace. During those years 47 Irish soldiers lost their lives in the Lebanon.

Israeli forces were directly or indirectly involved in some of those deaths so the Government must make Israel, independently and through the UN, understand that this is a peacekeeping mission and that it must be afforded the co-operation, protection and respect it deserves. Our relations are already fraught over passport thefts but let us hope they do not become more so.