The Taoiseach has said that Israel must stop firing on UNIFIL troops serving in southern Lebanon.
His comments come after Israeli troops fired on the headquarters of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, injuring peacekeepers for the second time in as many days.
UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters was affected by explosions for the second time in the last 48 hours.
Two peacekeepers were injured after two explosions occurred close to an observation tower.
In a statement, Simon Harris said that Israel must listen to the concerns of the international community, and that he will be calling for an immediate ceasefire at a meeting of the European Council next week.
“President Biden and I discussed the situation when we met in the White House this week, and agreed that those who serve in Blue Helmets on behalf of the UN must always be afforded full protection,” Mr Harris said.
“I also discussed the matter directly with the Secretary General of the United Nations.”
Earlier, Minister for Defence and Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that the news that UNIFIL troops in Naqoura were again fired upon by Israel was “reckless and intimidatory”.
Mr Martin said that in his view, an attack on UN peacekeepers was an attack on the international community and he said the international community now needed to collectively engage with Israel and put pressure on Israel to desist from this activity, to ensure that UN peacekeepers are not put in harms way.
“This marks a very serious intensification of IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) hostility towards UN forces and UN posts,” he said.
The Tánaiste said that what happened over the last 48 hours was absolutely unacceptable.
Ireland accounts for 347 of the 10,000 soldiers serving in the UNIFIL forces, which are charged with maintaining peace in the south of Lebanon.
Elsewhere, several T-walls at UN position 1-31 near the Blue Line demarcation in Labbouneh, fell when an IDF caterpillar hit the perimeter and Israeli tanks moved in the proximity.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces has called the Israeli strike an “egregious violation” and said it was “not an accidental act”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Six One, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy said the actions were “reckless” and cannot be tolerated, adding that the Israeli military needed to be held accountable.
Earlier, in a statement, the Israeli Defence Forces said the UNIFIL personnel were “inadvertently” hurt when they were targeting a Hezbollah “threat” nearby.
However, Gen Clancy said he did not believe the Israeli claim that the strike was inadvertent.
“From a military perspective this is not an accidental act. It is a direct act,” he said.
“Whether its indiscipline or directed, either way it is not conscionable or allowable.”
He also said it was difficult to know what Israel’s “strategic objective” was for the action.
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Lt Gen Clancy said the presence of Irish troops in Lebanon is “most important” for the objective recording of what is happening there.
He said this was absent in Gaza and that the acts that were happening in southern Lebanon needed to be recorded and those who are undertaking those acts need to be accountable.
Lt Gen Clancy added that the Irish troops in Lebanon are good and keeping well and that spirits are “strong and resolute”.
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Additional reporting PA, AFP