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Bertie Ahern overruled objections to continue weapons purchases from Israel in 1990s

Minister for foreign affairs David Andrews described decision as ‘error of judgment’ due to Israeli actions against Irish troops in Lebanon

Irish Defence Forces soldiers pictured in southern Lebanon in 2007. Irish troops have been deployed as part of the Unifil mission since 1978. Photograph: Kate Geraghty
Irish Defence Forces soldiers pictured in southern Lebanon in 2007. Irish troops have been deployed as part of the Unifil mission since 1978. Photograph: Kate Geraghty
Fri Dec 27 2024 - 00:00

Ireland continued to purchase ammunition from Israel despite “strong reservations” from then minister for foreign affairs David Andrews.

The then minister for finance Bertie Ahern overruled Mr Andrews, who argued that Ireland should not continue to buy weapons from a country that had been involved in many incidents in Lebanon where Irish peacekeeping troops were targeted.

In May 1992, an internal department of foreign affairs briefing note outlined that the department of defence has been “purchasing equipment from Israel since at least 1983″ and that between 1989 and 1991 this amounted to “just below 7 per cent per annum of total purchases of ammunition and weaponry”.

The weaponry had been purchased from Israel as a result of a competitive tender and any attempt to interfere with that business would harm trading relations between both countries, the note added.

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Certain ‘State papers’ or official archives are declassified at the end of every year. This week, thousands of documents in archives in Dublin, Belfast and London are being made public for the first time, bringing new insights into events of times past. This year’s Dublin archives mostly date from 1994.

In a handwritten reply in the file, Mr Andrews stated that continuing to purchase weaponry from the Israeli government was an “error in judgement”.

Ireland and Britain Editor of the The Irish Times, Mark Hennessy, looks at the what's released in this years state papers.

He continued: “The idea of selective non-use of ammunition supplied by Israel in the Middle East by our respective Unifil troops [a suggestion made by officials] is an unusual suggestion.

“The bullets used by the Israelis to kill Irish troops presumably come from different manufacturers and are of a different make than those intended to be supplied to our highly regarded army.”

Mr Andrews’s reservations were brought to the attention of the department of defence assistant contracts officer John Power with a note from department of foreign affairs official Declan Holmes.

Mr Holmes stressed that Mr Andrews was making a political point not a “formal objection” and was not suggesting the ammunition should be purchased elsewhere as that might not be acceptable given the difficult state of the country’s finances.

[ Mary Robinson was blocked by Government from taking up UN role in 1993 ]

A month later Mr Andrews continued to be disturbed by the potential political fallout of purchasing weaponry from Israel and a further note from Mr Holmes to the department of defence was strongly worded.

“The minister has particularly in mind Israel’s record over 14 years of involvement in Unifil-related incidents in South Lebanon resulting in fatalities and injuries to and repeated intimidation of Defence Forces personnel serving with the United Nations force there.

Against that background, he questioned the correctness of entering into contracts for the purchase of this equipment from Israeli manufacturers.

“While his reservations are based in principle, the Minister is also concerned about public and Dáil perceptions of the propriety of the proposal.”

The issue finally found its way to the department of finance later that year. The department of defence noted that the ball and blank ammunition cost IR£570,000 from the Israelis and would have cost IR£647,000 from any other manufacturer. It would send the wrong signal if that contract was cancelled.

“The military authorities consider that a ban on the purchase of equipment from Israeli companies would be prejudicial to Irish peacekeeping efforts in the Middle East as it would be seen by Israel as a less than impartial stance . . . the department should continue to purchase equipment and ammunition supplies from Israeli companies.”

The issue was resolved following a meeting with the tánaiste John Wilson and Mr Ahern. They decided that as there was no government boycott of Israeli suppliers, the contract should continue to be awarded to the company, Israeli Military Industries, as the lowest competitive tender.

One last attempt by Mr Andrews to persuade the tánaiste to change his mind failed and the military equipment purchases continued, according to a note dated October 2nd, 1993.

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