The Israeli attack on a UN post which killed four soldiers was at least reckless and at worst deliberate, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said yesterday.
After meeting the Israeli ambassador to Ireland yesterday to express Government concern, Mr Ahern and Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea said they had told the ambassador that the Government wanted assurances that UN troops and humanitarian personnel would be safe from attack.
Ambassador Daniel Megiddo, who was summoned to a meeting in Iveagh House by the Government, said afterwards that his prime minister had expressed regret for the attack, and that it was an accident.
He said Ministers Ahern and O'Dea had asked him to tell his government of their demand that the Israelis ensure the safety of UN and humanitarian personnel.
"I will forward their request and my people will do the utmost they can do. After all, it is a war zone, we can't forget that. Fierce fighting is going on in that part of the world bordering on my country."
Mr Ahern told reporters than an Irish officer who acts as liaison between UN and Israeli forces, Lieut Col John Molloy, warned Israel six times on Tuesday that their shells were landing close to UN positions but this had not prevented the attack.