A foot patrol of the French unit operating within the UNIFIL reserve force came under fire from an Israeli army position while inspecting an earth barrier recently erected by Israeli forces in the Wadi Qatmoun area, on the outskirts of the Lebanese town of Rmeish, according to the National News Agency (NNA).
I guess that’s also a possible interpretation.
There are people who legitimately think (or hsve convinced themselves to think) so, but I guess Birch isn’t necessary one of them.