Israeli Shelling Causes Devastating Fires in Southern Lebanon
Fires resulting from Israeli shelling in southern Lebanon have led to the destruction of approximately 40,000 olive trees and hundreds of square kilometers of land, dealing a severe blow to Lebanon’s agriculture sector, according to the country’s agriculture minister. The fires have been erupting daily on the Lebanese side of the border since the conflict between Israel and Gaza’s ruling Palestinian Islamist group Hamas escalated, with the Iran-backed Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah joining the fight.
“The loss of 40,000 trees is not just an economic setback; it is a loss of history. Olive trees hold deep spiritual significance for people. They were planted by our ancestors, and now we are witnessing their destruction,” expressed Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan in an interview with Reuters.
Hassan accused Israel of intentionally starting the fires by using shells containing white phosphorus to destroy wooded areas that Hezbollah fighters could potentially use as cover during the conflict. However, the Israeli army denied these allegations, stating that the smoke-screen shells they use do not contain white phosphorus and are not intended for setting fires.
Data from the agriculture ministry revealed that there have been approximately 130 fires recorded in 60 villages and their surroundings during the ongoing fighting. Unfortunately, these olive trees had not yet been harvested, resulting in a massive loss for farmers. “They are throwing fire,” lamented Dory Farah, a farmer from the border village of Alma Alashaab. “We wouldn’t feel so sad if they were two- or three-year-old trees. (But) we have olive trees that are 200 years old.”
Compounding the issue, Mohammad el Husseini, a representative of the south Lebanon farmers syndicate, stated that the Lebanese government would be unable to compensate farmers for their losses due to the country’s ongoing financial crisis. Lebanon’s agriculture ministry has sought assistance from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to support affected farmers and assess the extent of the damage to the soil.
Olive production accounts for over 20% of Lebanon’s farmland and provides income for more than 110,000 farmers and growers, contributing to 7% of the country’s agricultural GDP, according to U.N. data. The situation remains dire for Lebanese farmers as they face the loss of their livelihoods and the destruction of centuries-old olive trees.
(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa in Beirut, Emily Rose in Jerusalem; editing by Mark Heinrich)
