Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)

Members of the Defence Forces have been deployed in southern Lebanon since 1978 as part of the UN mandate force UNIFIL, which was established under UN Security Council resolutions 425 and 426. This State's contribution to UNIFIL consisted of 580 personnel who were rotated every six months, as well as 100 personnel in UNIFIL headquarters and the force mobile reserve. Over 30,000 members of the Defence Forces served in Lebanon over 23 years. The State's Defence Forces in Lebanon were initially intended to supervise the withdrawal of the Israeli Defence Forces from the area after the 1978 invasion and to prevent further fighting between PLO forces and Israel. Another Israeli invasion in 1982 forced the PLO out of southern Lebanon and the Israelis then proceeded to occupy the area.

The following 18 years, until 2000, saw prolonged guerilla warfare between Israeli forces, their allies in the South Lebanon Army and members of Hezbollah. UNIFIL was often caught in the middle of the conflict, sometimes with fatal consequences. In addition to their engagement in peacekeeping, members of the Defence Forces also provided humanitarian aid to the local population. Most Defence Forces personnel were withdrawn from Lebanon in 2001, following Israel's evacuation of its occupying forces the previous year. Hezbollah and the Lebanese Government argue that Israel has not completely withdrawn from all parts of Lebanon. They continue to claim an area known as the Shebaa Farms, which the UN in 2007 decided was Lebanese.

This motion has been introduced on foot of steps taken by the former Minister, Tony Killeen, after an additional enhanced mandate was provided for under Security Council resolutions 1884 and 1937. As part of this enhanced mandate, Mr. Killeen sought permission of the Government for the deployment of 440 troops as part of UNIFIL. The motion seeks the approval of the House to complete the triple lock mechanism of UN, Government and Dáil approval before members of the Defence Forces can be deployed overseas. I am aware that since the unexpected and unplanned withdrawal of the UN mission in Chad earlier last year, Defence Forces and management personnel in the Department have been examining all available options for a future deployment of the Defence Forces. The UNIFIL deployment will be undertaken in association with the Finnish armed forces, which served as part of the joint contingent during the UN mission in Chad.

Sinn Féin will support the motion because it believes the task of international peacekeeping is a noble and worthy venture. However, we should not underestimate the dangers posed to members of the Defence Forces while on peacekeeping duty. Since 1958, the Defence Forces have provided in excess of 70,000 personnel for various tours of duty in more than 40 countries. Some 85 of their members have died overseas and many more have been injured. It is always important that overseas missions are fully scrutinised before the deployment of the Defence Forces and the triple lock mechanism is vital for this reason. I, therefore, welcome the statement made by the Minister on Tuesday that he intends to retain it.

The scrutiny of overseas missions is particularly important in the case of UNIFIL given the history of violence against UN personnel in the region. As recently as 4 July 2010, members of the Israeli Defence Forces were responsible for the deaths of UN personnel when four people lost their lives in shelling, despite Israeli soldiers being repeatedly warned about the shelling by UN peacekeepers. It is undeniable that Israeli forces pose a threat to international peacekeepers in the region where Israel is viewed by many as a rogue state, aggressor and occupier. UN personnel have also been among its many victims in the West Bank and Gaza.

I condemn the recent violence by extremists' in Gaza, specifically the killing of an Italian aid worker, which was an appalling act with no possible justification. Our sympathies are with the family of the victim.

The direct threat posed by Israel and armed forces within Lebanon to members serving with UNIFIL must be recognised and be to the forefront of any decision the Minister makes in regard to deploying further personnel to the region. When Sinn Féin supported the deployment of peacekeepers in 2006, we stated it was regrettable that UNIFIL was only being deployed to the north of the Blue Line in southern Lebanon and not to the south of the Blue Line in Israel. Our position has not changed; UNIFIL should be patrolling both sides of the border. This is not the case, however, and the mission remains confined to south Lebanon alone. Given that the Lebanese authorities are supportive of the UN mission, Sinn Féin also supports it.

While this State has a proud record of involvement in peacekeeping missions overseas, including in Lebanon, we must remain vigilant in respect of attempts to co-opt the UNIFIL force into serving the ends of interested countries and their foreign policies and ensure such corruption of the mission is not permitted. I call on the Minister to monitor closely the operations of the new UNIFIL force to ensure it operates at all times in a manner that is above reproach. This is particularly important in light of the new, robust UNIFIL mandate.

It is also important to stress that Israel has not fully withdrawn from southern Lebanon and continues to claim the Shebaa farms area. In his letter to the UN Security Council in August 2010, the UN Secretary General pointed out that Israel had still not met the requirement in UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to withdraw from the southern Lebanese town of Ghajar and the surrounding area, which is north of the Blue Line. I ask the Minister to join me in urging Israel to complete its withdrawal from this area as quickly as possible.

In the same letter to the Security Council the Secretary General referred to the repeated violation by Israeli aeroplanes of the Blue Line, which he described as continuing "unabated" despite being repeatedly raised with the Israeli authorities. I hope the Minister will join me in condemning what the Lebanese Government has described as daily violations of its national sovereignty by Israeli forces.

Despite the weaknesses in the resolution and mindful of the continuing support for the deployment of UN peacekeepers by the Lebanese Government, Sinn Féin welcomes the deployment of a further contingent of the Permanent Defence Forces and hopes they return safely.

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