The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Roey Gilad, has issued a formal apology for the bombing of a Ghanaian contingent serving under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), an incident that left three Ghanaian soldiers injured.
In an interview addressing the March 6 strike, Ambassador Gilad took “full responsibility” for the incident on behalf of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), describing the event as a tragic mistake born out of the complexities of modern urban warfare.
Speaking with a sense of urgency and holding a formal incident report, Ambassador Gilad was emphatic that the injury to Ghanaian peacekeepers was never a deliberate act.
“We are very sorry for the incident that took place on the 6th of March,” the Ambassador stated. “On the 17th of March, we sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here… in which we took full responsibility for the fire that was done by a mistake, by an error.”
The Ambassador dismissed suggestions that the strike was intentional as “completely unfair,” arguing that Israel has no motive to target international peacekeepers, particularly from a friendly nation like Ghana.
Ambassador Gilad provided a technical breakdown of the events leading to the strike, alleging that Hezbollah militants have systematically used UNIFIL positions, specifically the Ghana Regiment (GHANBATT), as cover for their operations.
He explained that on the day of the incident, an Israeli platoon commander and seven others were injured by Hezbollah fire launched from a location approximately 500 metres from the Ghanaian base.
“Hezbollah is taking, unfortunately, UNIFIL for a ride. They sneak next to UNIFIL positions, sometimes 200 metres, sometimes 500 metres; they shoot against us and they escape,” Ambassador Gilad explained. “Trying to challenge the source of the fire… indeed, we hit the base by mistake. But this is a pattern.”
The Israeli government has warned that the current location of the Ghana Regiment is the “most dangerous place” in South Lebanon due to the frequency of Hezbollah launches from the vicinity. In response to the March 6 error, Israel has formally petitioned the UNIFIL command in New York and South Lebanon to move the Ghanaian troops.
“Immediately a week after… we have approached UNIFIL command… that the Ghanaian regiment will temporarily reposition into other locations,” the Ambassador revealed. “Because out of all the battalions in South Lebanon, it appears to us that your people are positioned in the place from which the biggest amount of fire is being launched against us.”
The apology comes amid sharp questioning regarding Israel’s historical record with UNIFIL. Since 1996, there have been over 20 recorded instances of IDF strikes impacting UN sites, including the 1996 Qana massacre.
While the Ambassador maintained that “friendly fire” is a strange but real professional reality of war, the Ghanaian public remains concerned over the safety of its troops.
Israel maintains that the repositioning is the only way to ensure that the “human shield” tactics of militants do not lead to further Ghanaian casualties.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
