IRELAND SUMMONS ISRAEL..

I see that the Irish Ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs have ordered the Israeli Ambassador to a meeting today following the killing of four "UN observers" in south Lebanon.

The observers, from China, Finland, Austria and Canada, were killed when a massive Israeli bomb destroyed the base in the town of Khiyam yesterday. Anti-Semitic and utterly discredited UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has accused Israel of deliberately targeting the UN position, but the Israeli Government states it was an accident.

Defence Minister Willie O'Dea revealed today that Irish personnel had been in the observation post just 48 hours before the bombing and would be seeking assurances from the Israeli Ambassador about the safety of Irish troops in Lebanon.

Here's a few questions for Willie O'Shea and the rest of the Jew-hating rabble. What EXACTLY were these Irish soldiers doing in the "observation post."? What was theirprecise mission? How many terrorists did they spot during their time there? Did they, perchance, COLLOBORATE with Hezbollah, or did they somehow by a stroke of bad luck miss the construction of the massive terror infra-structure under their noses?

Also, any idea when Ireland will be sending Aid to those tens of thousands of Israelis at the end of a daily pounding from Hizbollah rockets? I haven't seen any evidence that "humanitarian" concerns extend to Jooooooos?????

Comments

[Todd]

No Excuse to bomb a UN post though David.

The IDF were warned 6 times that there were UN troops in that location but the bombs kept coming closer until... they hit.

[David Vance]

Todd,

Plenty of excuses to hit it. What was its use? Why were the UN there? Were they colloborating with Hezbollah?

[Occasional Commentator]

Where were you, David, at the time of these bombs? What EXACTLY were you doing in your "blog"? Did you collaborate with Hezbollah? There is as much evidence that you were involved as the Irish army were involved.

DV: or did they somehow by a stroke of bad luck miss the construction of the massive terror infra-structure under their noses?

Eh? Make up your mind David. One minute you're telling us that the reason Israel accidentally kills loads of civilians is that it's quite difficult to spot the terror infrastructure. Now you're telling us it's really easy to spot terror infrastructure.

[David'sNumberOneFan]

OB-SER-VA-TION !

The Blue Helmets have NO mandate to intervene, they are just allowed to observe.

Whether you like it or not is irrelevant. They cannot act, whether they want to or not.

Naturally, i suppose that makes them all anti-semetic fascists, and therefore Israel is entitled to bomb them ...

[Armaghlite]

Why are you picking on ROI ?

SEVERAL European Governments have ordered the Israeli ambassdors to explain why UN personnel were killed (www.lemonde.fr). Irish soldiers are there as part of a United Nations (of which Israel is part) mandated mission to OBSERVE.

If you check out the website of the Irish Dept of Foreign Affairs you will find that the Irish State does indeed give Aid to Israel. And many people in Ireland north and south will defend Israel's right to defend itself. - Many Irish people have an affection for Israel and indeed there is a large and growing Jewish community there - especially in the Dublin region. In fact, the first President of the State of Israel was born in the Irish State.

It is very unfortunate that the UN mission does not allow them to do anything else regarding the missiles etc but i'm sure that with the new circumstances any new force will have a broader remit.

Please do try to be a bit more balanced.

[David Vance]

Armaghlite,

You make a civil point and one that I would respond to by merely saying it's not JUST Ireland I pick out on this - it's just that I spotted the story on the wires! Honest, I'm NOT into Ireland bashing for the sake of it - as my coverage of Miss Ireland maybe shows!

OC,

Unifil HAVE collobrated with Hezbollah in the past. I base my comments on what is already know. Have a think about that.

DNOF,

So, UNICIF were just "observers"? What were they there to observe, precisely and why?

[daytripper]

ireland has one of the longest serving peace keeping forces in lebanon. from memory.

[daytripper]

,i>I'm NOT into Ireland bashing for the sake of it

youve got andrew for that

[Occasional Commentator]

DV,
Do you have a response to my second question regarding your inconsistency over whether it's easy to spot terror infrastructure?

[David Vance]

OC,

Now that you accept I've dealt with your first question, we'll deal with your second.

The reason why alleged civilians die is because Hezbollah shelter amongst them. They USE them as human shields, maybe Mohammed approves, I don't know why, but they do.

That is BESIDE the point that Hezbollah dug out a massive tunnel complex, imported thousands of rockets, and Unifil did or saw nothing. How odd???

[mahons]

The incident will clearly have to be investigated, since there is credible evidence that the presence of UN peacekeepers was known to the Israeli forces. It would appear to me at first blush to be a negligent mistake, and not a deliberate attack. I can't see any basis that Israel would think a deliberate attack on a UN base would be anything but toxic to their cause. I think Kofi's claim is clearly premature and therefore consistent with his past performances. However, the diplomatic community should rightly, even during the fog of war, insist that such an incident be investigated. What is discouraging to me is the fact that the Irish minister is unlikely to call for the Syrian or Iranian representative for an accounting of their role.

[David Vance]

Mahons,

Your last sentence entirely parallels with mine. Look, of course it is right and proper to seek an investigation into such an event - though the IDF are scrupulous normally but hey - this is war. But more to the point - Israel are NOT the bad guys. It's Syria, Iran and their Hezbollah toadies. Where is the anger at THEIR role in this?

[Armaghlite]

David,

That is a fair point re The lack of anger at Hezbollah. I imagine if Hezbollah had Ambassadors in European Capital's they would have been more than summoned by now. They would have been expelled by now I imagine.

The fact that Hezbollah need to be defeated is not questioned, nor that Israel do indeed have the right to defend themselves.

Personally, I think that what will happen now is that the USA and Israel will push to have the Syria/Iran axis broken. And with Syria neutered they will move in on Iran in a big way - starting with Bunker Busters on every Nuclear site...

[mahons]

David:
I strongly agree with the unbalanced nature of the diplomatic community. Indeed Hezbollah has deliberately been firing on Un peacekeepers (with less "success") and the world takes little note.

[David Vance]

Armaghlite/Mahons,

Good we can agree on the big picture!

[William Mclaughlin]

What are peace keepers doing in a war zone?

[David Vance]

Failing? Collaborating? Your guess, William, is as good as mine.

[daytripper]

Failing? Collaborating?

i thought you didnt do conspiracy theories.

[David Vance]

Failing? I would have thought that was obvious, even to you Daytripper. They are allegedly "Peace-keepers" - have you spotted the ..ahem ..war going on?

Collobrating? If you read several documented LINKS on ATW today, this is a matter of record.

What tinfoil hat wearers need to realise is that conspiracy theories and FACTS are rather different things.

[dave t]

Any of our Canadian friends heard about this note which was being pushed by Mel Phillips? No confirmation but would be interested to know if this was true because it does confirm major parts of one side's position on this story.

"Retired Canadian General Lew MacKenzie — who is speaking in Toronto tonight at a Stand with Israel rally — was interviewed on CBC Toronto radio this a.m. He told the show’s anchor that he had received an e-mail only days before from the dead Canadian observor who was a member of his former battalion. MacKenzie says that the message indicated in effect that the UN position was being used as cover by Hezbollah, who, MacKenzie explained, can do so quite freely as they are not members of the UN and not subject, therefore, to official condemnation. MacKenzie further took issue with the misleading reportage (citing CNN in particular) that suggests that Beirut is being bombarded by the IDF and that the city is in ruins. He said that the bombing is no where near the saturation levels that constitute a bombardment and the IAF have specifically targetted a twelve-block area that is, more-or-less, Hezbollah City, and only after dropping leaflets warning civilians to vacate well in advance of the planned airstrikes."

Anyone got confirmation of this please?

[alison]

Quick comment, no time to read all the comments properly - Can I ask if anyone knows why there was an observation post right slap bang in the middle of a stronghold that was being bombed since last Tuesday? And therefore why these UN officials decided to take such a risk? Seems a bit odd but ive no idea what a UN stronghold actually IS?! And moreover what its doing there?!

[alison]

should read Hizballah stronghold

(thanks)

[David Vance]

Yeah, I'd like to know that as well. Plus, what WERE they "observing"????????

[James G]

You could not write a better script with which to discredit Israel completely in the eyes of the world (not that many people will disbelieve anything negative they hear about Israel).

I smell a rat. Don't know what, but there is something really big, fat and stinky about this whole situation rather than Israel deliberately targetting a UN observation post which they had been repeatedly told not to fire upon.

[daytripper]

"They are allegedly "Peace-keepers" - have you spotted the ..ahem ..war going on?"

the long period before war david. thats called peace. i know its not your preferred state, coming from the one true religion of peace.