Ireland's peacekeepers in Lebanon are putting their lives on the line. I know – I was one of them | Tom Clonan

In 1996, I witnessed the horror as the Israeli army fired on UN positions. Now history is repeating itself

• Tom Clonan is an independent senator in the Irish parliament and a retired Irish army officer

The Irish armed forces have participated in UN peacekeeping missions for over 60 years. Since 1958, Ireland has sent troops to global conflicts on almost every continent. We have had a peacekeeping battalion with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) in south Lebanon on a continuous basis since 1978. The relationship is so deep-rooted that in the Irish area of operations, close to the border with Israel, there are local Lebanese people who speak English with broad Irish accents.

As Israel intensifies its current ground assault in Lebanon, 380 Irish troops have found themselves in direct confrontation with the might of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). At UN position 6-52, near the border village of Maroun al-Ras, a platoon of 33 Irish troops was surrounded and isolated from UN headquarters by an IDF unit. Israeli troops have attempted to intimidate and threaten the young Irish men and women at 6-52 by positioning Merkava battle tanks on the perimeter of the post, with their 120mm main armaments aimed directly at them. A neighbouring Irish/Polish platoon at position 6-50 has witnessed Israeli forces destroying the small town of Yaroun during fierce fighting with Hezbollah.

Tom Clonan is an independent senator in the Irish parliament and a retired army officer

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