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Hezbollah Seeks to Offset War Impact with Compensation, Reconstruction Plans

Lebanese citizens Inspect Destroyed Building After Israeli Airstrike in Southern Town of Dibbin (AFP)
Lebanese citizens Inspect Destroyed Building After Israeli Airstrike in Southern Town of Dibbin (AFP)
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Hezbollah Seeks to Offset War Impact with Compensation, Reconstruction Plans

Lebanese citizens Inspect Destroyed Building After Israeli Airstrike in Southern Town of Dibbin (AFP)
Lebanese citizens Inspect Destroyed Building After Israeli Airstrike in Southern Town of Dibbin (AFP)

Hezbollah in Lebanon is providing significant aid to over 87,000 people displaced from southern border villages due to ongoing conflict with Israel since it decided to support Gaza.

 

The group is offering housing, food, and monthly payments through its Jihad al-Bina organization. It's also assessing damage for rebuilding efforts.

 

While the Lebanese government allocated one trillion Lebanese pounds (equal to $10 million from the 2024 budget) for compensation in November, Hezbollah reportedly allocates around $20 million monthly for refugee aid, covering rent and providing families with $100 to $200 per month.

 

Senior Hezbollah official and member of parliament Hassan Fadlallah had confirmed earlier that Hezbollah has started compensating those affected by Israeli aggression on border villages.

 

Hassan, a 44-year-old resident of south Lebanon, acknowledged Hezbollah’s promise to rebuild homes damaged by war.

 

However, some residents prefer financial compensation to buy homes away from the border to avoid future destruction, but Hezbollah hasn't addressed these requests, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

 

Displaced families, according to Hassan, receive $100 USD every 15 days and assistance for heating.

 

Damage estimates are uncertain due to ongoing conflict, but Ali Hamieh, Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport, reported hundreds of housing units fully or partially destroyed.

 

According to the minister, over 9,000 units were partially damaged.

 

Mohammad Shamseddine of Information International told Asharq Al-Awsat that around 1,300 homes are completely damaged, 2,000 severely affected, and 3,000 with minor damage.

 

By the sixth month of the war, Shamseddine revealed that there were 87,000 displaced individuals, with most still in southern areas. However, many also moved to Beirut and other regions, staying with relatives or friends.

 

About 1,300 people are living in shelters like schools and clinics, while 500 wealthy families rented homes in Mount Lebanon and Kesrouan.

 

Shamseddine pointed out significant damage to agriculture, especially olive and tobacco crops.

 

Estimates of damages incurred by Hezbollah vary.

 

Economic sources suggest total losses are nearing $2 billion, while Ministry of Economy General Manager Mohammad Abou Haidar indicates losses surpassing $1.5 billion, with $300 million from closures in the south.

 

Shamseddine estimated direct war losses at around $250 million, with indirect losses reaching $900 million.

 

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Arab World

Lebanese Army Awaits Political Decision to Implement UNSCR 1701

Soldiers from the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol near the southern village of Marjayoun (AFP).
Soldiers from the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol near the southern village of Marjayoun (AFP).
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Lebanese Army Awaits Political Decision to Implement UNSCR 1701

Soldiers from the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol near the southern village of Marjayoun (AFP).
Soldiers from the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol near the southern village of Marjayoun (AFP).

Discussions are underway on the role of the Lebanese army in maintaining security in South Lebanon amid rising optimism about a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701

As part of these preparations, the Lebanese government has begun strengthening the army by recruiting 1,500 new soldiers out of the 6,000 needed, aligning with the outcomes of the Paris Conference held on October 23, which allocated 200 million euros to support the military institution, from a broader package intended to help the Lebanese people during the Israel-Hezbollah war.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, a security official highlighted that the army currently has 4,500 personnel stationed south of the Litani River but requires additional manpower.

The unidentified official noted, however, that any effective deployment would require a political decision and government support. “The Lebanese military will implement Resolution 1701 as is, with no intention of clashing with any party. However, if Israel violates Lebanese sovereignty, the army is fully prepared to respond,” he said.

Although Hezbollah opposes withdrawing from south of the Litani and handing over border security duties to the Lebanese military and UNIFIL, claiming the army lacks the capabilities to defend against Israeli aggression, the security source clarified that the military has been authorized to repel any attacks but will avoid initiating conflict. The army’s expanded deployment depends on a political decision, which, once made, will see the military act without hesitation to uphold Lebanese sovereignty.

While military preparedness is essential, Brigadier General Wehbeh Qatisha argues that Lebanon’s security requires more than just troops or advanced weaponry at the border. The presence of the Lebanese military as a representative of the Lebanese state is also a significant deterrent. He pointed out that prior to 1970, Israel refrained from attacking Lebanon, despite a much smaller army. However, he cautioned that even with a substantial deployment today, the persistence of Hezbollah’s military presence would continue to undermine Lebanon’s stability and security.

Since the 1969 Cairo Agreement, which allowed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to launch operations against Israel from southern Lebanon, the Lebanese army has been restricted in its ability to enforce security along the border. After the PLO’s departure in 1982, Hezbollah took over military operations in the South. Even after the 2006 war and the adoption of Resolution 1701, which called for the Lebanese military and UNIFIL to secure the border, Hezbollah retained its armed presence and continued to conduct exercises simulating conflict with Israel. The latter violated the international resolution thousands of times, until the last war broke out against the background of turning southern Lebanon into a front supporting Gaza.

Qatisha emphasized that the path to stability lies in comprehensive implementation of international resolutions, particularly 1701 and 1559, and restricting arms to the Lebanese army. He argued that achieving balanced deterrence requires not only military force but also a commitment to diplomacy and international support.