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LAST UPDATE | 2 Nov 2024
A MONUMENT commemorating Irish soldiers killed in the last 40 years on peacekeeping duty in Lebanon has suffered damage in recent bombing raids by Israel that have also devastated an Irish funded orphanage in the village of Tibnine, The Journal has learned.
The Monument in a cedar grove is within the mostly Christian hamlet located 20 kilometres by road to the south from the main Irish base at Camp Shamrock.
Local sources have said that Israeli jets bombed a house adjacent to the monument – this may be the cause of the damage. The Journal also recently published images of a bombing next to the local Red Cross medical facility.
The bombings have happened in recent weeks with the village suffering extensive damage to roads, homes as well as facilities such as the orphanage which has received funding from Irish Aid and the Irish Defence Forces.
Tibnine is located north of the Hezbollah stronghold of Bint Jbeil and also of the larger town of At Tiri which is close to Camp Shamrock which is also known as United Nations Post 2-45.
Irish soldiers were previously stationed there but moved some years ago to their new base – the area is now under the control of Malaysian peacekeepers but Irish soldiers still hold a monthly memorial for the Irish dead.
Reacting to the news in a post to X, Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said he was “shocked and saddened” at the damage caused to the orphanage.
“I visited Tibnine as Taoiseach and Minister for Defence,” he said. “This is an institution with historic links to our peacekeepers, and funding from Ireland and the UN over many years.”
Abdo Haddad, who is the local Muhktar in Tibnine, has spoken on behalf of his community who have fled north to Beirut. He confirmed the damage to the orphanage and provided photographs of the damage – we have independently verified those images.
In a statement provided by Haddad the orphanage and local community said: “I couldn’t imagine that dawn would not break on a house with hundreds of girls over the years.
“Dreams and memories within these walls crashed by this insidious enemy.
“This building, which was named after the Irish Embassy in southern Lebanon, this building that withstood every aggression that passed on the south. Nevertheless we will build it better than it was and it will remain the foundation that does not die,” the statement read.
The young girls in the orphanage fled north by bus along with most of the local population once Israel Defence Forces launched its ground invasion early last month.
The damage to the Irish monument has been confirmed by multiple sources – it is understood that Irish troops have not been able to travel to the monument located in a cedar grove in the village due to the heavy bombardment.
Irish soldiers serving as UN Peacekeepers with the 124th Infantry Battalion can only leave for emergencies since the land incursion by Israeli forces in October.
The Irish Defence Forces have confirmed that Irish troops were last in Tibnine on 11 September when they carried out maintenance work at the orphanage.
A spokesman said that the Defence Forces are aware of the heavy damage to Tibnine and the orphanage.
“The Defence Forces community, in particular our Veterans who have served in UNIFIL, are saddened to learn of the destruction that has befallen Tibnine.
“Although no longer in the Irish Area of Operations strong historical ties remain. Irish peacekeepers previously conducted monthly wreath laying ceremonies, with a bigger commemoration every November, at the monument in Tibnine. This was to honour the 48 Irish soldiers who have lost their lives in the service of peace in Lebanon. This has been unable to occur recently due to the ongoing security situation,” he said.
The spokesman said that the Irish soldiers were repairing bedframes, wardrobes and cupboards in September as part of their community outreach work while on deployment.
“The Irish Contingent, through the Department of Foreign Affairs funding, facilitated the purchase, delivery and installation of carpets and furniture at the end of September.
“The project was completed, however the ceremony to mark the completion of the project was scheduled for 26 September but due to the deterioration in the security situation it was postponed until a more permissible environment prevails,” he added.
The Israeli Defence Forces have previously said that they were targeting the area as they claimed Hezbollah fighters were firing rockets into Israel from the locality. Sources told The Journal that such rockets are generally fired from the cover of cedar groves and other locations.
Security sources here and other sources in Lebanon have confirmed that fighting has been heavy and that Hezbollah has fired rockets near Irish and other UN posts.
There has also been extensive incidents involving Israeli forces firing on UN posts with more than 20 peacekeepers injured so far.
The United Nations mission in the country, UNIFIL, as well as the Irish Government has appealed for calm – the United Nations Security Council has expressed its concerns at the violence also.
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