This content was published on November 17, 2023 – July 18:12,
MAJDAL SELEM, Lebanon (Reuters) – The expansive pastures of southern Lebanon have been ideal feeding grounds for local shepherds’ herds for centuries, but they have now become extremely dangerous no-go zones for shepherds and their herds of sheep and cows due to Israeli air strikes and artillery fire.
Ali Beber, who owns a sheep herd of 350 heads, said, “We all graze on the land of Mays al-Jabal, we graze on the land of Hula… but with today’s bombing, there is no longer any closeness to you.”
The herd is now packed inside a metal barn in the town of Majdal Salam, about seven kilometers west of the pasture.
Bieber, 57, walks the herd for a short period every day, but he has to buy haystacks to feed the herd at a cost of about $2,000.
He said, “I mean, the right amount is less. I used to adopt them so that I would only feed them in the winter (I used to prepare hay for the herd to feed on during the winter), but now there is nothing to eat, and now there is nothing to eat.”
He continued, “The remaining hay is enough to feed her for two or three days. After that, I will have to borrow money to feed her.”
The fighting broke out in Lebanon after Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) went to war in the Gaza Strip on October 7. The Hezbollah group, an ally of Hamas, fired rockets at Israel, and Israel responded by carrying out an air and artillery bombardment.
The fires resulting from the bombing burned olive trees and agricultural lands across southern Lebanon, causing severe damage to shepherds and farmers who have already been suffering under the weight of an economic collapse that has been going on for four years.
Jihad Saeed (45 years old) told Reuters that he moved his herd to the town of Rmeish after losing three cows in Israeli bombing earlier this month on a farm on the outskirts of the town.
Two Lebanese shepherds were also found dead after being shot by Israeli forces earlier this month.
Lebanese shepherds learned long ago how to live with cross-border tension between Lebanon and Israel. The Israeli army often interrogates those who venture too close to the border. Bieber said that Israel detained him twice.
A month-long war between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in 2006 severely affected farmers. Tony the worker told Reuters that the war prevented him from harvesting five hectares of wheat and barley.
But this time, he remained in the south during the first two weeks of the bombing, then took his herd of 100 heads to the outskirts of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Tony said, “If (the war) stops tomorrow, I will return to my estate, my house, and my farm, God willing. If I get lost, there will be a moment left for our friend, where do I want to go?”
(Prepared by Muhammad Aysem for the Arabic Bulletin – Edited by Ayman Saad Muslim)
2023-11-17 17:12:21
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