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IRISH AND FRENCH diplomats are working intensely to convince the United States not to end support for the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, which could spell the end of the international peace effort.
US officials have arrived in Lebanon and Israel to assess whether their country should veto the renewal of the UNIFIL mission.
Sources have told The Journal that a major and secret effort is under way to stop the US from pulling the plug on the south Lebanon operation.
Inside Government departments and at Cabinet level, Irish officials are understood to be anxious to find a way to keep the mission going. Officials have been directed by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Harris to work with the French and others to push for a solution.
The Times of Israel reported earlier this month that the US was deciding whether it would vote against the renewal of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission. The deadline to save the mission is ten weeks from now, when the UN will vote on whether to renew the mandate for UNIFIL.
The UNIFIL mission (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) began in 1978 to maintain peace and security on the border between Lebanon and Israel after a period of increased tension between the two countries. Irish troops are part of a massive international presence of 10,500 troops from 50 countries to monitor both sides of the border.
A total of 48 Irish soldiers have been killed there on active service. Their deaths were caused in action, in accidents, and in kidnappings by Israeli forces, Hezbollah, AMAL, and local militias aligned to Israel or to Lebanese factions.
The Journal has confirmed that US officials, led by envoy Tom Barrack, have been in Lebanon and Israel to assess the effectiveness or not of the UNIFIL mission. In a move that is consistent with previous missions by the US, Barrack has no background in diplomacy; he is a real estate investor.
Sources have said there is extensive lobbying ongoing by Israel to have the United States, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, end its support for the mission.
There are fears among diplomatic sources that the work of Barrack and his team is a fait accompli, and the decision has already essentially been made to pull the plug on US support for UNIFIL, given the support the Trump administration has for Israel.
Behind the scenes, French diplomats are leading negotiations and Ireland is working with them.
The withdrawal of US support would be a significant setback for UNIFIL.
Sources believe that the US turning its back on the mandate would mean a cut of around 25% of the budget for the mission, which would cause a major reduction in troop numbers.
The worst case scenario would be that the UNIFIL mission would end, which would necessitate a massive withdrawal of Irish troops from south Lebanon.
Currently around 330 soldiers of the 126th Infantry Battalion are stationed at multiple locations in the south of the country, monitoring the uneasy truce along what is known as the Blue Line.
This was established in the wake of the 2006 war following international agreement on the border designating where Israel had to withdraw beyond.
If the mission was to end completely, the Irish would withdraw en masse from the area. This would involve the chartering of a ship as Ireland does not have naval capability to move the troops.
Sources said the seaborne withdrawal of kit and equipment would likely either happen from Beirut or from Tyre. Troop-carrying aircraft would also have to be chartered or they would hitch a ride on a flight by a partner country.
It is understood that no immediate plans are in place for this. The Defence Forces and the government are awaiting the outcome of the vote in August.
The Irish Defence Forces logisticians have carried out this operation before in the 2000s when the Irish temporarily withdrew from Lebanon and they recently successfully moved massive amounts of equipment and vehicles home to Ireland from their Syria mission.
Sources said that the strategic goal for Israel is to make northern Israel free from the threat of rocket fire as well as other major cities inside the Jewish State. This is the justification for the previous invasions.
The main body of Israeli troops have withdrawn back across the Blue Line but, within the Irish area of operations, south of the towns of Bint Jbeil and At Tiri, the IDF maintains one of a number of forward operating bases.
Overflights by Israeli drones and aircraft are being monitored by a massive French radar station in the area with an Irish and LAF patrol fired upon recently by Israeli forces as well as a number of other incident. Hezbollah militants have also been seeking to intimidate UN troops.
The powder keg atmosphere in the Levant will continue but sources said the Irish government remains hopeful that a compromise can be found to soothe the tensions in the UN assembly and for the mission to continue.
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