Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have pointed out previously that this situation has been ongoing for 40 years. The initial idea was that it would bring peace and ensure there was no conflict between Israel and Syria through the Golan Heights area. After 40 years that is no longer the purpose. Recently Israel bombed Hezbollah in Syria, on the other side of the border, over the heads of the UNDOF mission. The Irish forces are regarded as probably the best available for that type of work, but their capacity to be effective and positive in a peacekeeping role could be better used elsewhere than in this location at present.

As we have mentioned before, the UN peacekeeping forces in areas like the Congo and Darfur have serious problems because their people are not as well qualified, trained and disciplined as the Irish troops, who could be of huge advantage in such areas. It is a pointless exercise at the moment in the Golan Heights area.

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