The war has exhausted the markets of a Lebanese city… destruction and livelihoods cut off!
It was found that about 5,000 large and small institutions were damaged in the city of Nabatieh as a result of the recent Israeli aggression against Lebanon. In the heart of the city’s market, which was always bustling with commercial activity and the activity of consumers, merchants, and freight vehicles, the destroyed shops stand as if they were a witness to the tragedy of the merchants. Many of them were hoping for a quick return to economic activity after the ceasefire, but the reality was much harsher, as many of them did not receive… Compensation up to the moment, while they suffer from the accumulation of debt and the high costs of rebuilding.
Muhammad, one of the owners of antique shops in Nabatieh, who saw his shop demolished before his eyes due to the violent bombing that hit the market, says that his loss was not limited only to furniture and inventory, but also included years of hard work to build a prestigious trade name. Muhammad said in an interview with Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed: “I have lost everything, and my shop has become rubble. The least shop’s loss is estimated at about $200,000. What saddens us is that until now we have not received any compensation, and no one has asked about our condition.”
Many confirm that the slowdown in the reconstruction process increases the state of difficulty, while stores constitute a source of livelihood for thousands of families, and many merchants have become unable to rebuild and renovate their stores, pay rents, and dispose of goods piled up in warehouses.
The head of the Nabatieh Merchants Association, Moussa Al-Horr Shmeisani, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that what is being done to reconstruct the shops are individual initiatives undertaken by the owners of the establishments, which contributed to restoring commercial activity, but in a timid manner, to the city.
He adds that the massive amount of destruction to which the Nabatieh city market and the rest of the neighborhoods were subjected left a state of great confusion in the movement of commercial markets, and thus there was an almost complete halt in the heart of the city market, and merchants went to search for other places outside the heart of the city, which created great confusion for some, Pointing out that the damage affected clothing and sweets shops, offices of various professions, restaurants and banks, and thus all sectors are connected and have a great impact on the city of Nabatieh.
He says that the establishments that were able to resume their commercial activities do not exceed half of what was expected due to the devastation that the city was exposed to, and the losses are very large, as inspection teams are still counting the damage, and therefore there is no specific and clear number yet about the size of the final losses. But it is large and awaiting the results of the field examination.
Referring to the compensation, he indicates that it will be for building damage only, but as for the contents, there is no answer for compensation from any party, and the merchants are waiting for compensation for the contents they lost due to the war, adding that “those concerned must speed up the work of removing the rubble, rehabilitating the areas, and relieving Owners of damaged properties, such as shops and commercial establishments, and other fees are required to help them rebuild, in addition to approving settlements and tax exemptions for establishments and commercial establishments to limit the losses suffered by merchants as a result. Aggression. He points out the need to cancel fixed fees on electricity, water and telephone bills.
One of the women who lives in Nabatieh reports that the popular markets are still closed from the city all the way to the villages of Bint Jbeil, such as the markets that people used to go to, such as the “Monday Market” and the “Thursday Market,” which are spread in the southern villages. As for the commercial shops, The stores that were partially damaged began to return to work and regained some of their activity, in addition to the entry of some new goods, but the stores that were completely destroyed are still closed, of course, and awaiting their reconstruction.
Earlier, the Nabatieh Governorate Merchants Association organized a protest in the central commercial market of the city of Nabatieh, which was destroyed by Israeli air strikes during the recent aggression against Lebanon, to demand that the Lebanese government and the concerned departments expedite the payment of compensation to institutions, factories, shops, liberal professions, pharmacies, and poultry, bee and livestock breeders, and compensation for… Contents.
While Lebanon has been suffering from an economic collapse for more than four years, the Israeli aggression at the end of 2024 deepened the collapse, burdening the ailing economy with a heavy bill due to the destruction it left behind, leaving the Lebanese confused about how to measure reconstruction expenses in light of limited international support.
In mid-December, Lebanese Minister of Economy Amin Salam said in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that preliminary estimates indicate that the cost of reconstruction ranges between ten billion and 15 billion dollars, according to the World Bank, while the ministry’s estimates indicate between 15 and 20 billion dollars, but The state’s ability to bear these burdens remains limited, which makes international support crucial.
Salam pointed out that this number includes the revival of the economic sectors, as the losses of the agricultural and tourism sectors alone are estimated at between eight and ten billion dollars, while the residential damages alone are estimated at 3 billion dollars, according to the World Bank, but with the start of the field survey by the Lebanese army and ministries, it appears The figures show a significant increase in damage, while about 166,000 people in Lebanon lost their jobs due to the war. (The New Arab)
