Environmental and economic impact: Israeli attacks cause devastation in South Lebanons sector

3^min

Report by Nada Andraous, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

From Naqoura to Shebaa, a map reveals the devastation of 55 towns and villages within a 5 to 7 km range along the southern border caused by Israel's burning of more than 2000 hectares of Lebanon's forest and agricultural lands, spanning up to 6000 hectares with environmental and material damages.

The ongoing fires and internationally prohibited white phosphorus attacks have exceeded 618 incidents. These attacks have targeted the affected areas' productive, agricultural, and industrial sectors.

The most affected sector is tobacco cultivation, constituting 55% of Lebanon's overall tobacco production. Half of the tobacco farmers come from villages stretching from Naqoura to Shebaa. This region supplies 55% of Lebanon's tobacco production.

Since Southern Lebanese tobacco is among the finest and most expensive, its annual export of 5 million kilograms generates $30 million. The regions in conflict contribute between two and two and a half million kilograms, accounting for at least $12 million of the $30 million in Regie's export revenues.

Regie and the Lebanese economy will lose $12 million in 2024 if the war persists, preventing land preparation and nurseries in the conflict zones for the upcoming cultivation season in March.

The olive sector, the second-largest productive sector, has suffered more losses.

Over 50,000 mature olive trees, ranging from 24 to 250 years old and highly productive, have been destroyed. This comprises over 35% of the targeted lands, contributing 18% to the local market's oil and olive production and 22% to the volume of Lebanese olive oil exports, generating revenues of at least $1.2 million from the conflict zones alone.

In these areas, 8200 farmers work in this sector, with 28 factories established since the liberation in 2000, six of which have been targeted so far.

Due to the extensive burning of forests and orchards, other affected food industries in the South include citrus fruits, fruits, and other crops spread across 7500 hectares.

This sector produces 170,000 tons of various citrus fruits in Lebanon, with the South alone contributing 135,000 tons. The Southern revenues amount to $16.25 million out of the $22.5 million generated annually in Lebanon, reflecting a 60% decline in export revenues.

Most concerning is the Environment Ministry's examination of soil samples from eight southern sites targeted by Israeli phosphorus attacks, revealing high phosphorus levels.

This affects the soil's agriculture suitability, requiring several years of cleaning to make it suitable for cultivation, further increasing losses in the Southern productive sectors for years to come.