Lebanon accuses Israel of shelling that destroyed 40,000 olive trees

Lebanon says fires caused by Israeli shelling in the south of the country have destroyed about 40,000 olive trees and hundreds of square kilometers of farmland.

Lebanese Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan today accused the Israeli army of firing shells containing white phosphorus into wooded areas in the south of the country to destroy positions where Hezbollah fighters could hide. The white phosphorus shells caused large fires, destroying many agricultural areas.

"40,000 olive trees mean 40,000 parts of history. Humans have a spiritual connection with trees. Our ancestors planted them and today we are losing these olive trees," said Hajj Hassan, minister.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Agriculture data shows that around 130 fires have broken out in 60 southern border villages during the fighting. “The olives have not been harvested yet, which means we have lost both the trees and the harvest,” Hajj Hassan added.

Dory Farah, a farmer in the border village of Alma Al-Shaab, expressed sadness as 200-year-old olive trees were destroyed by Israeli shelling.

Smoke rises after an Israeli shelling of the border village of Alma Al-Shaab, southern Lebanon, October 13. Photo: Reuters

Mohammad el Husseini, a member of the southern Lebanese farmers' association, said the Lebanese government would not be able to compensate farmers for their losses, as the country has been in a severe financial crisis for the past four years.

According to Mr. Hajj Hassan, the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture on October 31 asked the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to assist affected farmers and test the soil to determine the extent of the damage.

According to United Nations data, olive cultivation covers more than 20% of Lebanon's agricultural land and provides income to more than 110,000 farmers, accounting for 7% of agricultural GDP.

The Israeli military denied the allegations and said the smokescreen shells it fired into southern Lebanon did not contain white phosphorus. "Even the smokescreen shells containing white phosphorus in the Israeli army are not used for incendiary purposes. Any claim that they were used for that purpose is baseless," an Israeli military spokesman said.

The Israeli military and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon have exchanged artillery fire and rocket fire at each other's positions almost daily since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7. Hezbollah claims to have carried out raids on Israeli territory in support of Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah is considered a "resistance" group tasked with confronting Israel. The group has threatened to open a "second front" targeting northern Israel, forcing Tel Aviv to send large forces to the border as a precaution.

Location of Israel and Lebanon. Graphic: AFP

Huyen Le (According to Reuters )

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