Some veterans are not getting their dues

ON March 22, 1978 22 UN observers based in Jerusalem prepared to depart for Southern Lebanon, where a state of war existed between Israel and various militia groups.

Until then the men, including two Australians, had been providing unarmed military observer support to the UN Emergency Force II based in the Sinai, which included in its armed component RAAF helicopter support.

The Jerusalem group was deploying as the nucleus of the newly created UN Interim Force in Lebanon, its role to supervise the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and to enforce the ceasefire rules agreed by the Security Council.

The situation was further complicated by a fierce civil war for control of the region by competing militia groups, and that the UN deployment had been widely reported and criticised in the Israeli media.

The mission would require concurrent military intervention by armed troops, initially drawn from UNEFII but gradually increased from contributing countries as forces could be mobilised and deployed.

Those UNMO seconded to HQ UNIFIL had no idea what to expect when they entered what was still a dangerous war zone, nor how long they would be expected to be there nor when they could expect a rest break.

Under the terms of their service, they were also required to provision for their own needs, including food, for an unknown period.

Some UNMO, including the Australians, had family accompanying them, so as they concentrated along the street outside their East Jerusalem HQ, their families were there to farewell them.

“That was really hard.

“I’d been doing so well all day in preparation for him going, but I think it was the moment that we got down into the street and the teams were lined up to say goodbye.

“And there were some hugs and some embraces, and we get outside and the vehicles were lined up, and suddenly it hits me, they’re going to a war zone.”

That’s not a quote from one of the UNMO wives, but from PM Albanese’s partner Jodi Haydon, recalling the moment he left for a brief, secret trip to Kyiv on a heavily armoured train. Perhaps she now might understand why many Australian veterans feel aggrieved and disappointed their genuinely hazardous service is dismissed as falling short of the “requirements” for appropriate recognition.