Lebanese Agriculture Minister Abbas Al-Hajj revealed that his ministry will file a new complaint against Israel in the UN Security Council regarding Lebanon being bombed with internationally banned phosphorus.
He said in a comprehensive interview with Al Jazeera Net that this complaint came “to say once again that this Israeli enemy, although it ignores international conventions and norms, we, as a Lebanese state, abide by international law,” and added, “This phosphorus affects the environment, nature, and humans.” .
Al-Hajj added that what Israel is doing is trying to ignite as many fires as possible in order to make this area separating Lebanon, southern Lebanon, and occupied Palestine an empty, isolated and buffer zone.
He continued, “We have 2,400 dunums that were completely burned, and 6,500 dunums that were partially burned,” stressing that there will be compensation for all those affected and farmers.
Below is the full text of the interview:
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How do you assess the extent of the damage caused to farmers and agricultural lands in southern Lebanon as a result of the Israeli attacks?
There is no doubt that the damage resulting from the Israeli attacks is very great. Today, this aggression and barbarism affects stone, humans, and spirits.
Therefore, we cannot give accurate numbers for a simple reason, which is that today we are threatened even in Beirut, even in Baalbek, and even in the north, as a result of repeated attacks. This constitutes a violation of international law and conventions.
To be precise, today the agricultural reality in the south has undoubtedly been damaged and harmed. But, does this mean that things have stopped? of course not. Today we export from the south, and we place a high priority on agricultural products in the south and also on exports from southern Lebanon.
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Do you have preliminary estimates of the area of affected agricultural land and the number of affected farmers?
We in the Ministry of Agriculture have drawn up a map from day one of the brutal, barbaric and barbaric Israeli aggression against southern Lebanon, after the aggression and barbarism that was practiced on the Gaza Strip and is still being practiced to this moment. We have 2,400 dunums that were completely burned, and 6,500 dunums that were partially burned.
We have 2,400 dunums that were completely burned, and 6,500 dunums that were partially burned.
When we talk about complete burning, we are talking about an entire sector of olives, old trees up to 100 years old, the almond sector, the citrus sector, and the sector of other modern trees, and also very vast areas of forest. We are talking about 6,500 dunums, which is a large number without a doubt.
These numbers do not mention the very large numbers of farmers. If we knew or highlighted that 20% of the Lebanese product was coming from southern Lebanon, we would find that the damage was great. It is matched by steadfastness, patience, and absolute faith in God Almighty that we will be victorious, just as we were victorious in 2000 and 2006.
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What are the main challenges facing farmers in the border areas in light of the escalation?
The most prominent challenge today is the lack of access to vast areas that were previously cultivated. I have heard from our plains bordering occupied Palestine that farmers are harvesting wheat. The wheat harvest was abundant this year despite the fires and damage.
One of the farmers I spoke to on the phone said to me: “Minister, listen carefully. If the whole world leaves us, we will remain in the south. If the whole world abandons us, God can only be with us.”
These words are bigger and deeper than any philosophy formulated, whether international, regional or international, and it is much more important than any initiative put forward today in the region. This reflects the extent to which we are today rooted and rooted in our land.
Regarding the possibility of helping our farmers, the concern is very great, especially with the lack of access to agricultural spaces today and the inability to prepare the land for the coming seasons. This is the biggest obstacle to us, but I repeat that we have developed a gradual plan, medium and long-term, to return directly to the land and to the agricultural sector in the southern region, which extends over an area of 210 kilometers.
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What data do you have about the use of white phosphorus by Israeli forces in bombing operations, especially since Lebanon filed a complaint against Israel before the Security Council regarding its use of phosphorus?
We, as a Lebanese government, specifically as the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, submitted our first complaint to the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and all those concerned, that we are being bombarded with internationally prohibited phosphorus.
This phosphorus affects the environment, nature and humans. The extent of the impact cannot be answered today until representative samples are taken from all the lands that were subjected to the bombing operations, which are 55 villages and cities.
Next Friday (tomorrow), there will be a Cabinet session, and I will submit another complaint to the Lebanese government through the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, to say once again that this Israeli enemy, despite its disregard for international conventions and customs, we as a country Lebanese, we adhere to international law and we will submit this complaint, knowing that it will not be submitted or delayed.
But we are governed by a legal logic, and we hope that all countries of the world will stand by human rights, the rights of societies, and the rights of the Lebanese state, as well as Palestinian rights, for once in this history.
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How has the use of white phosphorus affected people, farmers, agricultural crops, and the ecosystem?
I repeat, there are many scientific theories that have been proposed and will be presented. However, as a minister today, I am managing this file, and this matter receives great attention from all the leadership, the central leadership in the Lebanese state and also the leaders today on the ground. It requires that we keep up and follow up scientifically.
It is not possible today to talk about the extent of the possibility of damage, the extent of the effectiveness of this matter, and the extent of its impact on humans, trees, fruits, soil, groundwater, surface water, liquid water, frozen water, or water within lakes except through the tests that will be conducted immediately after the end of the operations. Israeli hostility on the part of Lebanese experts and accredited Lebanese laboratories, whether it is the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the Scientific Agricultural Research Service affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture, or the rest of the laboratories affiliated with the Lebanese government, Lebanese authorities, or private parties. Therefore, something is built according to its requirements and the answer is truly scientific.
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What steps has the government taken to address the repercussions of environmental pollution resulting from the use of white phosphorus?
Today, when we talk about integration between ministries, I think it may be the only government in Lebanon that we live in today where its ministries are absolutely in harmony with each other. There’s a hotline between you and me His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Dr. Nasser Yassin, on a daily basis, whether to survey the damage, update information and data, motivate citizens, or keep up with the fires that occur every day as a result of Israeli attacks.
Therefore, yes, there is undoubtedly great environmental damage, and its impact will not only be on Lebanon but also on the countries of the region, because Lebanon is the lung from which the Mediterranean breathes. This lung we had a very large vegetation cover and a good portion of it was burned. Therefore, we also put this matter before global public opinion, and before international gatherings and audiences that keep in mind the issue of global warming, the issue of desertification, and the issue of how to keep up and harmonize, the last of which was its latest harbingers in the region with us.
What the Israeli enemy is doing is a crime that affects the Lebanese state and the rest of the countries in the region.
Therefore, the cry will be very big, starting from Lebanon and not ending in all countries of the region. I repeat, what the Israeli enemy is doing is a crime that affects the Lebanese state and the rest of the countries of the region.
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To what extent does Israeli bombing affect the increase in the frequency of fires in the southern regions and what is the long-term environmental impact of recurring fires?
This period of summer and high temperatures cause fires. But today, what Israel is doing is trying to ignite as many fires as possible in order to make this space separating Lebanon, southern Lebanon, and occupied Palestine an empty, isolated and buffer zone.
This will not happen, because I confirm that what is happening today in terms of fires is undoubtedly frightening for citizens and farmers, but we are with our strength, patience, and perseverance, and because we are aware and have known this enemy for 40 to 50 years and have experienced it well, and it is also news of our strength, resilience, and resistance.
Therefore, I say yes, today the fires that Israel has created exceed hundreds and thousands of dunams, for no other reason than because it delusively believes that it is capable of burning green and dry land, and thus establishing a new vision, a new strategy, or a new military reality in the region.
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Are there government plans to compensate farmers for losses incurred due to Israeli bombing?
Despite the financial crisis that the Lebanese government and the Lebanese state in general are suffering from, today it is a basic and logical duty for the government to stand by our people in southern Lebanon. This is a sacred duty, yes, a sacred duty, because if the government today does not stand by the Lebanese people, when will it stand? This is first.
Secondly, the basic principle of matters is for all Lebanese to stand by those affected in the south, for no other reason than because the enemy is one, and this enemy does not distinguish between one region and another, between one sect and another, between one religion and another, between one sect and another.
For example, when the enemy killed journalists in cold blood in the south, he did not distinguish whether this journalist was affiliated with a specific channel or a specific agency. Also, when he kills innocent people, he kills in cold blood.
Therefore, yes, compensation exists according to a specific mechanism that we established first by surveying and estimating the damages, and after that we communicate with the donor agencies, some of which we have communicated with and they are ready for this matter.
I go back and say, today the issue is not political but purely humanitarian, and therefore, these countries will stand by Lebanon as they stood by us in the past.
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How is the government dealing with the effects of this crisis on Lebanese agricultural production in general?
South Lebanon provides 20% of Lebanon’s agricultural crops, and this number is large. There is no doubt that it was affected during the Zionist events and attacks, which negatively affected the products and their prices. However, crops continued to be produced and exports continued, even from southern Lebanon.
Today, we undoubtedly suffer from returning to most of the lands, despite the presence of some farmers and peasants who cling to their lands, and are still farming, whether it is for growing tobacco, growing wheat, or for summer production, such as the Wazzani plains, the Khiam plains, and the rest of the plains. The lands are no longer exploited to their full capacity due to the reasons we mentioned previously.
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Is there any international cooperation or technical support expected to help rehabilitate damaged agricultural lands?
Today it comes to mind whether there is international alignment, and whether there is a popular humanitarian and emotional outburst towards the Palestinian issue.
What is happening today in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon will be reflected in aid, and I think it is important for everyone to look from a humanitarian perspective after the war ends, because things will not end when the war stops.
I think today, we are talking about the Arab countries, they will stand by Lebanon, whether in reconstruction or with regard to the agricultural sector.
I am talking specifically about the agricultural sector. There will be a Lebanese initiative, very soon, which I will not reveal because it is in the process of maturation. Donor bodies and the countries we have contacted are also ready to provide technical support and direct it to the Lebanese government and the relevant ministries, in addition to direct in-kind assistance.
