An íoróin mhilis gharbh
Agus, n'fheadar an im chodladh a bhíos, ach léigh mé agus d'airigh mé go bhfuil an Tánaiste/an tAire Gnóthaí Eachtracha i mbun feachtais taidhleoireachta le tíortha an domhain a bhfuil cluasa orthu ionas go leanfaí le UNIFIL, is é sin, misean na Náisiún Aontaithe sa Liobáin agus a bhfuilimid páirteach ann leis na blianta. Ní foláir do na Náisiúin Aontaithe an misean a athnuachan gan mhoill nó tiocfaidh deireadh leis agus fillfidh Arm na hÉireann agus saighdiúirí eile síochána abhaile, imeacht a thaitneodh go mór le hIosrael.
Is í íoróin mhilis an chúrsa ná nach iad an Ruis mhallaithe, ná an tSín nach dtuigtear, ná an Bhreatain ár gcomharsana, ná an Fhrainc phoblachtach (mar a déarfá) is róbhaol a chuirfidh an bac orainn, ach ár gcairde daonlathacha i Meiriceá. Samhlaigh é sin! Tá na Stáit Aontaithe ag beartú, de réir an Aire agus an Tánaiste, ar urghaire a chur ar ár gcuid trúpaí páirt a ghlacadh i misean de chuid na Náisiún Aontaithe!
Abúbúna! Cá bhfuil siad anois, na tráchtairí, na polaiteoirí, na hiriseoirí nach raibh de phort acu ach nár cheart ligean don Rúis ná don tSín stiúir a bheith acu ar ár gcuid gnóthaí eachtracha?
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Ní argóint í sin, gan amhras, ar son deireadh a chur leis an nglas triarach, óir is dóigh leis an gcuid againn atá glan in aghaidh na tóra chun cogaidh agus leis an méadú ar chaiteachas an bháis seachas na beatha, gur cosaint fós é an glas faoi thrí ar chead a chinn nó ar chead a chlaonta a thabhairt do rialtas ar bith ógánaigh a chur amach ag troid ar son comhghuaillíochtaí eile gur beag é ár nguth iontu agus a n-athróidh a ndílseacht de réir is mar a shéideann an ghaoth.
Má chuireann na Stáit Aontaithe, nó an Bhreatain, nó an Fhrainc, nó an tSín, nó an Rúis féin cosc orainn, bíodh sin mar atá. Is é sin toil na Náisiún Aontaithe ar aontaíomar leis; creideamh san eagraíocht lochtach sin an dóchas is fearr fós atá againn.
Níl san íoróin áirithe sin ach sampla beag oileánda de na híoróna ar fad atá ag gabháil steallaidh orainn faoi láthair. Netanyahu Iosrael ag maíomh go raibh an Iaráin á buamáil aige chun fuascailt a dhéanamh ar mhná na hIaráine a bhfuil leatrom á dhéanamh orthu. Is fíor go bhfuil leatrom gránna á dhéanamh orthu ag réimeas dian míthrócaireach, ach is deacair sin a shlogadh ó cheannaire rialtais atá i mbun áir agus sléachta ar mhná, ar pháistí (agus ar fhir) na Palaistíne go laethúil fad is atá seo á scríobh agus á léamh.
Is féidir na híoróna seo ar fad a iomadú go heireaball timpeall sa saol ina mairimid ann ach ó am go chéile caithfear an scáthán a thabhairt amach is na focail a dúradh a shoilsiú suas is anuas lena bhfuil á dhéanamh.
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Six Lebanese soldiers killed in blast while removing munitions from Hezbollah facility
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RTÉ News
31-07-2025
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Mother of Seán Rooney says Lebanon trial 'not justice'
The mother of slain Irish peacekeeper Private Seán Rooney has criticised the Lebanese trial that convicted and sentenced those involved in his killing this week. In a statement, Natasha Rooney said her family felt "extreme disappointment and heartbreak at the recent court proceedings in Lebanon" and called the process a "sham trial". "What happened in Lebanon was not justice," Ms Rooney said in the statement. "The trial into the murder of my son was heard and determined in less than half a day. Not only was justice not done, it was not seen to be done, with little to no information being disclosed or challenged in open Court," the statement said. "Instead, we are forced to believe the answers provided by a Lebanese justice system which from the outset has failed to hold those responsible to account," the statement added. On Monday, Lebanon's Permanent Military Court found guilty six of the individuals charged in the killing of Private Rooney in December 2022. One individual was acquitted. The main defendant Mohammad Ayyad was sentenced to death in absentia and remains at large. One defendant was given a short custodial sentence and the others were fined. UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, welcomed the verdict and "the Government of Lebanon's commitment to bring the perpetrators to justice". But the Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it was "unsatisfactory" that Ayyad remained at large. Speaking on Tuesday morning, he added "many will feel the sentences passed down on the other defendants are far too lenient". The Tánaiste Simon Harris said he shared "the disappointment of Private Rooney's family at the lighter sentences imposed on a number of those convicted today". In her statement, Ms Natasha Rooney questioned the timing of the proceedings, which were brought forward from the scheduled date in September 2025. "The unforeseen expedition has been credited in some quarters as a testament to diplomatic pressures," the statement said. "To others, it is difficult to avoid the conclusive coincidence that the expediting of the trial process comes at the critical time the UN Mandate comes for renewal," she wrote. UNIFIL's mandate is due to be renewed by the UN Security Council at the end of August. Natasha Rooney labels trial a 'sham' process Ms Rooney said her son's legacy has, from the outset, been "tarnished with fake news and false narratives". "In the immediate aftermath, in what we believe was a concerted effort to shift the focus, the misnomer of a 'wrong turn' was perpetuated," she wrote. She said the reality behind that narrative was "very different". "The factual reality here is that the perpetrator who has been convicted for my son's murder has been untraceable and untraced for many years. "Not only did he not appear for his trial, but it is clear that he might never appear," the statement said. "The verdict in reality is nothing more than a headline to the Lebanese authorities who masquerade this sham trial process as a semblance of justice for my son," she wrote. "In what other country would accomplices to the murder of a peacekeeping soldier be sentenced to monetary fines," the statement added. "To the Lebanese Courts, assisting in the murder of my son is worth nothing more than 1200 dollars. "Whilst hurt and disappointed, I expected nothing less from a Government that is run hand in glove with a terrorist organisation," she wrote. "I am however not angry. I am determined. My son died trying to protect his three comrades as he made all efforts to escape an armed gang who had surrounded their vehicle and fired their shots. He dedicated his entire life to protect those of his three friends." The family of Private Seán Rooney has previously accused the United Nations of failing to cooperate or provide information from internal investigations. "In his name, I will dedicate every bone in my body to ensure justice for Seán, and to highlight the uncomfortable truths about the systematic failings by the United Nations, the Irish Defence Forces and the Lebanese Justice system," Ms Rooney said in the statement.
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31-07-2025
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‘A sham trial process': Mother of Seán Rooney criticises Lebanese court
The prosecution of a group of men for the death of Private Seán Rooney, the Irish peacekeeper murdered in Lebanon in 2022, was a 'sham' and not reflective of justice, the soldier's mother has said. Natasha Rooney issued the strongly-worded statement on Thursday following the conviction of seven men for Pte Rooney's killing by a Lebanese military court earlier in the week. Pte Rooney (24) and three other Irish peacekeepers, who were serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) mission in south Lebanon, were driving to Beruit airport when their UN -marked vehicle came under attack. On Monday one of the men involved in the attack, Muhammad Ayyad, was sentenced to death in absentia. Another six men were given short prison sentences or small fines. READ MORE Ayyad, who fired a gun into Pte Rooney's vehicle during the attack in the village of Al-Aqbiya in south Lebanon, was granted bail by the court early in 2023 for medical reasons. Ayyad was expected to appear at the court hearing on Monday but did not show up. He remains at large. He is a member of Hizbullah , which has been designated a terrorist organisation by the EU. The group has denied responsibility for the attack. The other accused showed up to the court on Monday, having missed all previous court dates. [ Irish soldier Seán Rooney: Man sentenced to death over killing in Lebanon Opens in new window ] Ms Rooney, from Donegal, was critical of several aspects of the case, as well as the approach of the Irish Government. 'Whilst I am restricted in what I can say due to the live proceedings, I cannot sit idly by and let the truth get lost in the hysteria,' she said in a statement issued by solicitor Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law. 'What happened in Lebanon was not justice. What happened in Lebanon is unreflective of what we regard as a trial process.' Ms Rooney said the case was heard in less than half a day 'with little to no information being disclosed or challenged in open court'. 'Instead, we are forced to believe the answers provided by a Lebanese justice system, which from the outset has failed to hold those responsible to account.' The court proceedings have caused extreme disappointment and heartbreak to the Rooney family, she said. The hearing was originally due to take place in September but was brought forward with minimal notice, which caused the family unforeseen pressures, she said. 'The verdict in reality is nothing more than a headline to the Lebanese authorities who masquerade this sham trial process as a semblance of justice for my son,' Ms Rooney said. Ayyad is untraceable, she said. 'Not only did he not appear for his trial, but it is clear that he might never appear.' Ms Rooney asked what country would sentence those involved in the murder of a peacekeeper to monetary fines. 'To the Lebanese courts, assisting in the murder of my son is worth nothing more than 1,200 dollars. Whilst hurt and disappointed, I expected nothing less from a government that is run hand in glove with a terrorist organisation.' She also criticised the 'fake news and false narratives' that have circulated about Pte Rooney's death, including claims it occurred after he took a 'wrong turn' while driving to Beirut airport. These claims are part of a concerted effort to 'shift the focus' regarding the incident, she said. The response of Irish Government officials to the verdict could be read 'as one of victory for justice', she said. 'Again whilst such utterances are disappointing, they are unsurprising.' Referring to Tánaiste Simon Harris , she said he should have spoken to her first 'before seeking to speak for me, in his public statements.' She also criticised the flying of Hizbullah flags during a protest outside Government buildings in November 2024. These flags were flown alongside of the tricolour, which Pte Rooney died in the name of, Ms Rooney said. 'I am, however, not angry. I am determined. My son died trying to protect his three comrades as he made all efforts to escape an armed gang who had surrounded their vehicle and fired their shots. He dedicated his entire life to protect those of his three friends,' she said. 'In his name, I will dedicate every bone in my body to ensure justice for Seán, and to highlight the uncomfortable truths about the systematic failings by the United Nations, the Irish Defence Forces and the Lebanese Justice system. 'That is the very least I owe my son Seán. It is the very least I owe Seán's comrades.'
