The Minister for Foreign Affairs this evening dismissed the Israeli Ambassador's explanation why four UN observers in south Lebanon were killed by an Israeli bomb, adding that it was "only by the grace of God" that an Irish soldier was not among those killed.
Mr Ahern was speaking after it emerged that the most senior Irish officer in the region, Lieutenant Colonel John Molloy of the Unifil force, had phoned the Israeli Defence Forces six times before the UN outpost was hit yesterday, warning that the Israeli shells were landing too close.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
"The fact of the matter is," Mr Ahern said, "he (Lieutenant Colonel Molloy) contacted them six times, that was what he was there for, and yet this post was obliterated." Four UN observers were killed in the incident. They were from Austria, China, Finland and Canada.
Mr Ahern said he believed the UN post was directly targeted.
"All the evidence we have at the moment would suggest that this was either an incredible accident, despite all of the repeated warnings from our people, or else the observation post was in some way directly targeted," he said.
Mr Ahern also said he was particularly concerned that Egyptian soldiers who went in to retrieve the bodies were also fired upon.
"What's quite disquieting about this matter is that after the event Egyptian soldiers on behalf of Unifil went in to try and get the bodies out and they themselves were fired on which is extremely disquieitng and raises questions about whether this was an accident or not at all."
After an emergency meeting with Mr Ahern and Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea today, which was described as "frank", the israeli Ambassador Daniel Megiddo, sought to explain the incident, describing it as an accident and adding: "You can't forget, however, that this is a warzone."
However, both Mr Ahern and Mr O'Dea dismissed this explanation as "insufficient".
"The Ambassador said it was a war situation. We don't regard that as sufficient explanation and we are asking him to convey that in no uncertain terms to his government," Mr O'Dea said.
Mr O'Dea and Mr Ahern met the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Lieutenant General Jim Sreenan in Leinster House this morning for a briefing on the situation on the ground in Lebanon.
Mr O'Dea also spoke directly to Lieutenant Colonel Molloy, the chief liaison officer between UN forces in South Lebanon and the Israelis.
Ireland did not have any soldiers stationed in the base that was hit by the Israeli air strike, but according to Mr Ahern there was one Irish citizen on the roster for the observer tower that was hit. Despite this Mr Ahern ruled out any immediate removal of the 17 Irish troops stationed in Laquora on the Lebanese border with Israel.
Asked on RTE News would the troops be removed, he replied: "Not at this stage, but obviously every situation is under review. It is a very dangerous situation and only for the grace of God an Irish officer would have been in that (post). Only for rostering there was an Irish officer in that observation post about 24 hours previously."
The meeting with Ambassador Daniel Megiddo took place at lunchtime in the Department of Foreign Affairs office in Dublin.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Megiddo said he assured Mr Ahern and Mr O'Dea "as far as he could" on the safety of Irish UN soldiers and other UN troops in the area.
Mr O'Dea also asked the ambassador to convey to the Israeli government the importance of finding a way of getting hostilities to end.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern earlier condemned the killing of the United Nations observers.
In a statement released early this morning the Taoiseach said: "I am appalled by these deaths and I strongly condemn the continuing use by Israel of reckless and disproportionate force which has brought such suffering to the people of Lebanon and now to the families and comrades of these brave soldiers.
"I equally condemn Hizbullah for its attacks on Israel. Far too many innocent people have died on both sides of the border.
"I repeat the call by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern for an immediate cessation of hostilities and I hope the Rome Conference will make urgent progress to that end.
"At this time, the Irish troops serving with Unifil are in all our thoughts and we remember those who have previously died in the UN Service in Lebanon and elsewhere," the statement concluded.
Fine Gael's foreign affairs spokesman Bernard Allen and defence spokesman Billy Timmins condemned the "senseless killings" of four UN observers and called on Mr O'Dea and Dermot Ahern and to demand an independent investigation.
"The murder of these four unarmed UN observers cannot be defended and Ireland's absolute condemnation of the attacks should be translated directly to the Israeli government via the embassy in Dublin."