Harris says Israel Defense Forces firing at UN positions and peacekeepers ‘utterly unacceptable’

Taoiseach Simon Harris has accused Israel of “an extremely egregious breach of international law” after the United Nations (UN) confirmed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had deliberately fired on UN positions and peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

He said he had raised his extreme level of concern with US president Joe Biden, who he met in Washingtony. He said Unifil, and the 50 nations contributing troops to that peacekeeping force in Lebanon, must strongly “protest” Israel’s actions.

“The conversation I had with the president left me in no doubt of the significance of what he had discussed with the prime minister of Israel,” Mr Harris said in Washington. “Israel will have to be judged on what it does and not what it says.

“And what happened here today is extraordinarily concerning. The loss of civilian life is concerning, the incursion into Lebanon, the bombing of Gaza is beyond concerning, it is despicable. And I think the intimidatory behaviour towards peacekeepers is utterly unacceptable and must be protested at the highest level.”

The White House said it was “deeply concerned” by reports of the IDF firing on UN troops, a national security council spokesperson said. It said Israel was acting to “destroy Hizbullah infrastructure that could be used to threaten Israeli citizens” but must “not threaten UN peacekeepers’ safety and security”.

About 50 nations contribute soldiers to the 10,000-strong Unifil ranks, with some of those joining Ireland’s condemnation of the IDF’s attacks. Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, said firing on Unifil bases was “totally unacceptable” and clearly flouted international law. The French foreign ministry condemned the attack, and said it was awaiting explanation from Israel.

The IDF said its troops on Thursday morning had “operated in the area of Naqura, next to a Unifil base”, which is the mission’s headquarters. “Accordingly, the IDF instructed the UN forces in the area to remain in protected spaces, following which the forces opened fire in the area,” it said.

Separately, Israeli strikes on central Beirut on Thursday night killed 18 people and wounded at least 92, Lebanon’s health ministry said, as a Lebanese security source said at least one senior Hizbullah figure was targeted in the attacks.

Tánaiste Michéal Martin said “Israel is not listening to its allies” and “seems to be [at] all-out war”. It was engaging in “destructive warfare” and had “destroyed” communities in “a clear breach of international humanitarian law”.

Though Irish troops serving with Unifil had not been fired upon, the Defence Forces on Thursday night said the Irish were operating “amid ongoing tensions along the blue line, where the situation is most intense”. They were “in austere field conditions” but they remained “determined”.

Unifil said the IDF had “deliberately” targeted a number of its positions in attacks apparently aided by drone surveillance, including firing at personnel on Thursday morning. Two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at Unifil’s headquarters in Naqoura “directly hitting it and causing them to fall”, it said.

Among other incidents an IDF drone flew into UN position (UNP) 1-31 in Ras Naqoura, where the IDF also fired at Unifil troops “hitting the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system”.

Last weekend IDF tanks advanced on an outpost manned by about 30 Irish troops called UNP 6-52, one of 29 Unifil posts along the blue line border between southern Lebanon and northern Israel. The Israelis used earth movers to create firing positions and remained outside the Irish post for several days, causing concern among the Irish troops. However, on Tuesday morning the Israeli troops moved on after Hizbullah said it would not fire on the IDF at that position.

Additional reporting: Wires