TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH in the Middle East – and Irish peacekeepers are in the midst of it all.

News Correspondent Niall O’Connor travelled to the Middle East to report on the work of troops stationed in the Golan Heights before the mission comes to an end in April.

Around 133 Irish personnel are on peacekeeping duty in an area that has seen a major increase in violence since the beginning of the conflict between Hamas and Israeli last October.

It’s part of a long-standing tradition of Irish peacekeeping in the region – but last year, the government informed the United Nations that it was withdrawing its troops from Syria. The plan now appears to be a focus on smaller, ‘more impactful’ missions.

We’re joined on The Explainer by Niall O’Connor, who takes us through the work Irish troops are doing in the region, what their day-to-day likes like, and what the future of Irish peacekeeping looks like.

The Explainer / SoundCloud

This episode was put together by presenter Laura Byrne, senior producer Nicky Ryan, and executive producer Sinéad O’Carroll.

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More