Lebanese Economy Minister Amin Salam said that the losses suffered by his country as a result of the Israeli aggression, which has escalated remarkably over the past two weeks, are countless, noting that the Israeli strikes were not limited to southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, but rather included other regions, including the capital, Beirut.
The Lebanese Minister explained in an interview with Al Jazeera during a previous bulletin that the losses affected various economic fields, indicating that there are two parts to these losses, the first is direct and the other is indirect.
He stated that the direct losses are the great destruction occurring in the south, the Bekaa, and parts of Beirut. The Israeli war machine destroyed infrastructure, factories, institutions, and commercial stores, in addition to the entire agricultural sector in the south and the Bekaa.
Salam pointed out that agriculture is considered an important sector in Lebanon, and the Israeli aggression burned agricultural lands in the south and the Bekaa and destroyed their soil, noting that the Ministry of Agriculture estimates losses in the agricultural sector at billions of dollars.
He added that 4 months ago, the initial estimate of the losses of the agricultural sector in Lebanon was about 3 billion dollars, and now it will be doubled.
As for the tourism sector, the minister said that between 5 billion and 7 billion dollars were entering Lebanon annually. Because of the war, this sector had ended and halted Lebanon’s hopes for growth, as the sector’s losses were estimated at about 90%, meaning a loss between 4 billion and 5 billion dollars.
As for the indirect economic losses, the minister considered that they are countless, because they greatly affected the domestic product and job opportunities, with hundreds of thousands of the workforce losing their jobs, companies, and factories, indicating that its repercussions in the short and long term will be very large.
Regarding the displacement crisis in Lebanon, the minister considered it unprecedented with the presence of 1.2 million displaced people within a week, which requires the provision of shelter, food and treatment, pointing out that it is in addition to what Lebanon is suffering from the Syrian refugee crisis, estimated at 1.5 million.
The minister said that in the face of the displacement crisis, the government provided 800 shelter centers and opened hospitals and schools for them, pointing out that there is great Arab support for his country’s government to confront the displacement crisis.
