www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE
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Defence Forces (IDF) launched a full ground offensive against
Hezbollah locations and imposed a naval blockade of Lebanon.
Throughout the hostilities UN troops were regularly fired upon,
resulting in four unarmed United Nations Truce Supervision
Organisation (UNTSO) observers from Austria, China, Finland
and Canada being killed in a UN OP. Other incidents included a
Nigerian UN civilian worker also being killed and 12 other peace-
keepers being wounded.
With Hezbollah using guerrilla tactics and avoiding direct
engagement with a much more technologically advanced
Israeli army, the conflict fell heavily on the civilian population,
forcing nearly one million Lebanese and up to 500,000 Israelis
to seek refuge.
A new resolution (UNSCR 1701) was passed by the UN aimed at
ending this conflict. The war ended after Lebanon and Israel ap-
proved the resolution, which included a provision for the enlarge-
ment of UNIFIL.
By 2009, due to engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan, all Pol-
ish forces were withdrawn from Lebanon, handing over to the
Danish Logistics Battalion. This November, upon their return to
Lebanon, Polish soldiers will be relying on the experience and
expertise of their Irish colleagues, and both parties are looking
forward to their joint peacekeeping mission.
About the Author: In 2002, Lukasz Gancarz started his active
army reserve service in Poland and served in Specialised Armed
Security Forces until 2007. Later in 2007 he settled in Ireland,
and in 2012 he started his application process to serve in the Irish
Reserve Defence Forces (RDF). He started his training in May 2018,
and is currently serving with D Coy, 7 Inf Bn, Cathal Brugha Bar-
racks, Dublin. In his fulltime employment Lukasz works as a Flight
Lead Officer for Aer Lingus and holds a Private Pilot's Licence (PPL)
and is an accomplished photographer.
