Lebanese olive farmers courageously gather olives despite Israeli attacks
Date
11/2/2023 4:27:20 AM
(MENAFN) Farmers in southern Lebanon, led by Ghassan Hassan, are persisting in their olive harvest despite the risks posed by nearby Israeli bombings and constant surveillance aircraft overhead. Olive picking is a crucial source of income for these villagers. However, this year, the harvest coincides with ongoing clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, due to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The continuous presence of surveillance aircraft and the threat of shelling has caused anxiety among workers. Some have even left in fear. The situation is notably more perilous than in previous years. Despite the dangers, farmers continue to work their lands.
Since the incursion by Hamas militants into Gaza on October 7, a conflict that resulted in 1,400 deaths, Israeli airstrikes have targeted the region, causing over 8,500 casualties. This violence has also led to heightened tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. In Lebanon, at least 63 people have been killed, primarily combatants, but also five civilians. In Israel, eight individuals, including both soldiers and civilians, have lost their lives. The escalating hostilities have made olive picking near the border exceptionally hazardous.
Despite the continuous threat of nearby shelling and the ceaseless presence of reconnaissance aircraft, the farmers have not relented in tending to their fields. While Lebanese farmers typically rely on Syrian laborers during the harvest season, many near the border have fled due to the escalating tensions. Finding workers has become increasingly challenging for farmers in the area.
So far, thousands have been displaced from southern Lebanon due to the border tensions, with nearly 29,000 people displaced throughout the country, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration. Israeli attacks have also ignited fires in olive groves and greenery. Agriculture Minister Abbas Al Hajj Hassan has accused Israel of employing white phosphorus in these attacks, claiming that it has led to the destruction of 40,000 olive trees. Rights groups and Lebanese officials have previously accused Israel of using white phosphorus, a substance that ignites upon contact with air and can cause severe burns, an allegation Israel has refuted in the past.
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