Lebanese Minister of Agriculture: Israel deliberately used internationally banned white phosphorus against our lands (Reuters)
The Israeli aggression in southern Lebanon was not limited to people and stones, but rather extended to agricultural lands, which are considered the source of livelihood for the people of the border villages, where they destroyed the crops of 2023 and threaten them in 2024, after the farmers were unable to reach the fields and orchards to harvest their fruits due to artillery shelling and raids. The weather attack in which he deliberately used phosphorus to inflict the greatest amount of losses directly in the long term.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Net, the Minister of Agriculture in the Lebanese caretaker government, Abbas Hajj Hassan, revealed the government’s plan to confront the Israeli attacks and the resulting damage to the agricultural and environmental sector. The Minister explained the compensation mechanism for those affected, reviewing the legal means to hold the occupation accountable for its crimes in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese Minister of Agriculture stressed that Lebanon is facing difficult economic conditions, linked to political and social crises, and added that the situation is worsening due to the Syrian refugee crisis.
He also noted that Israel's expansionist wars aim to control water, especially in the areas of the Shebaa Farms and Kafar Shuba, and pointed out that it is their duty to regain these lands using all possible means.
The following is the text of the interview:
What is the extent of the impact of the Israeli attacks on the agricultural sector in southern Lebanon?
Let us begin first by emphasizing the aggression and barbarism carried out by Israel, which targets all of humanity through its deliberate bombing of children, the elderly, and women, whether in the Gaza Strip or in southern Lebanon. We condemn these attacks in the strongest terms and denounce them with all force.
The overall economic impact and the agricultural sector in southern Lebanon is confirmed by the fact that the losses were extremely huge, as thousands or tens of thousands of acres of agricultural land were completely destroyed as a result of the deliberate Israeli bombing with white phosphorus. This production is difficult to restore quickly, and it will take years to restore numbers to what they were before these attacks.
Tens of thousands of acres of agricultural land were completely destroyed as a result of deliberate Israeli bombing with white phosphorus
Do you have accurate statistics and figures about losses in the southern territories?
We do not have absolutely accurate statistics, as field surveys today are not possible due to a series of combat operations, including sniping, artillery attacks, drones, and suicide planes.
Surveys are carried out through field committees in agricultural areas in cooperation with municipalities and local actors, such as Civil Defense and the Red Cross.
Based on this, the current report confirms the existence of significant losses, as current figures show the destruction of more than 5,000 olive trees, some of which are more than 150 years old. Significant losses of forest and livestock wealth were reported.
During its bombing of southern Lebanon, Israel followed a scorched earth policy, deliberately using the internationally banned weapon white phosphorus. How do you deal with this reality?
From the first moment that the deliberate bombing of white phosphorus, which is internationally prohibited, was documented, we filed a complaint through the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the UN Security Council and the United Nations. We filed several complaints, because this illegal bombing caused negative impacts on several sectors, including infrastructure, rivers, agriculture, industry and the environment.
What have the research and studies conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture reached to determine the extent of the effect of white phosphorus on crops?
The question remains postponed in light of the challenges we face today, as communication with Lebanese and international research and scientific bodies becomes difficult.
We can only take direct samples from bombed areas, which are currently difficult to access due to the threat to our lives and our teams. We are waiting for the Israeli terrorist hostilities to stop so that we can conduct effective searches.
How serious is the impact of white phosphorus on the environment?
There are multiple research papers, supported theoretical documents and scientific reports, confirming that areas exposed to the use of white phosphorus, which is internationally banned, have been significantly affected by this substance.
The impact of this phosphorus on the soil, groundwater, groundwater, and surface water, as well as fruitful and non-fruitful trees. Therefore, it is easy to determine the extent of the effects based on the amount and concentration of white phosphorus in that spot or location.
With the ongoing Israeli aggression, residents of border villages and farmers have been unable to reach orchards to harvest crops. Is there a plan for the Lebanese government to compensate those affected?
Yes, the Lebanese government and the Ministry of Agriculture have developed a gradual three-year plan, which includes a plan for compensation and coordination with the relevant government agencies to determine how to implement these compensation.
The Council of Ministers took a decision regarding the parties practically responsible for compensation, including the Supreme Relief Authority, the Council of the South, and the Ministry of Agriculture in the Agricultural Department.
Today, it is necessary for Arab and international public opinion to hear our call to pressure Israel and the forces that support it to stop these hostile attacks, as no issue can be discussed before the bloodshed stops.
Israel's war against us Arabs, specifically its expansionist war, is considered a war for water
Is there communication with international organizations to support Lebanon in addressing the damage to the agricultural sector caused by the Israeli bombing?
From the first moment that the agricultural sector in Lebanon faced the violent Israeli aggression, immediate communication was made with international organizations to obtain support and cooperation in dealing with the damage resulting from this bombing.
We met with representatives of international bodies supporting the Lebanese government and the Ministry of Agriculture, and began implementing sustainable agricultural development projects focused on food security and improving food systems.
Among these international organizations: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
the United Nations World Food Program
(WFP), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and others were ready to provide assistance according to their readiness and practical method on the ground.
We received an immediate response from them, and we express our deep thanks to those international organizations and all the supporting countries.
Agriculture in southern Lebanon needs years to recover as a result of Israeli attacks (Al Jazeera)
Is Israel still seizing the southern waters, and have you taken deterrent steps to prevent it?
Israel's war against us Arabs, specifically its expansionist war, is considered a war for water
. This water slogan will remain so, since from the 1970s until today, all Israeli wars and aggressive operations have targeted our underground and subterranean water resources.
We have placed this matter under the title of the United Nations, and we intend to fight with all our might and by all diplomatic, political and military means through resistance to recover our last drop of water and our last grain of honor in this southern Lebanon.
The amount of water that Israel seizes is from Lebanese groundwater and non-groundwater. If all the research and geologists who have worked in this field are re-examined, we find that the Shebaa Farms and Kfarshouba Hills are considered among the richest areas in the world with groundwater.
Therefore, Israel is determined to attack and control this land, and we consider this land to be part of the heart of Lebanon, which we cannot do without.
Stopping the current bombing and violence is necessary to stabilize global markets and avoid negative impacts on global shipping prices
What is the impact of the Gaza war on the economy of Lebanon and neighboring regions?
These wars, whether in the Gaza Strip or between Israel and civilians, have a major economic impact on the humanitarian and emotional side. This effect is clearly visible in the economic aspects, as it affects shipping, import and export operations, causing a shortage of some materials today.
The war in the region, specifically the Gaza war, was not limited to its security aspect, but rather its repercussions in the economic environment of the region began to accelerate.
The events we are witnessing today in the Red Sea are considered a result of these escalating Israeli wars on the Gaza Strip. The current escalation in the Red Sea reflects the extent of the impact of this escalation and the existing tension in the region.
The Lebanese government and the Ministry of Agriculture submitted a complaint to the Security Council against Israel due to its use of white phosphorus (Al Jazeera)
How do you view the economic impacts of the Red Sea tensions?
The effects of economic tensions in the Red Sea are beginning to be felt, as we have witnessed an increase in shipping costs due to the increased time required for ships to transit and the use of alternative sea lanes. Looking from an economic perspective is necessary for major countries and global economic blocs, whether China, the United States of America, or others, to evaluate the impact of these tensions on their economic interests.
Our call today is to stop the war on civilians in the Gaza Strip, because this war directly affects their lives and safety.
The world's leading economists must examine the situation from an economic perspective, and realize that stopping the current bombing and violence is necessary to achieve stability in global markets, and to avoid negative impacts on global shipping rates and insurance coupons.
Source: Al Jazeera