Minister El Zein launches the results of the study on the environmental impact of Israeli attacks on Lebanon between 2023 and 2025: the Israeli aggression committed residential, urban, and environmental extermination, and the report will be presented to the Cabinet for discussion.
During the conference, Environment Minister Dr. Tamara El Zein announced that “Lebanon’s right to hold Israel accountable for its environmental crimes, like all its other crimes in Lebanon, is a right beyond dispute, regardless of differing political approaches and however intense disagreements may be over the causes of the war and its outcomes. Demanding the greatest possible support for the recovery path is also a national responsibility,” stressing that “the scale of the damage and the cost of addressing it require broad solidarity and local and international partnerships,” and considering that “the Israeli aggression committed residential, urban, and environmental extermination.”
This report, titled “Steering the Course Toward Post-War Recovery of Ecosystems in Lebanon: Understanding the Challenges and Looking Ahead,” is the product of cooperation between the Ministry of Environment and the National Council for Scientific Research. It documents the environmental damage and lays out a roadmap for environmental recovery on scientific foundations.
She added: “During the aggression, the phenomenon of ‘domicide’ emerged as one of its gravest features, with more than 220,000 housing units destroyed or damaged. We also witnessed systematic ‘urbanicide’ affecting many southern villages, where the Israeli enemy deliberately erased residential neighborhoods, civilian infrastructure, historical landmarks, places of worship, and some archaeological sites.
“As for the damage inflicted on forests, agricultural lands, soil, water resources, and air quality, it rises to what can plainly be described as ‘ecocide.’ This damage does not stop at the limits of immediate destruction; its effects extend to public health, food security, livelihoods, the social fabric, and even the state’s ability to endure.
“The report identifies four main objectives:
“First: to provide a reliable scientific assessment of the damage, away from misinformation that hinders sound decision-making and away from claims that could produce counterproductive effects undermining citizens’ ability to remain resilient, return to their homes, and restore their means of living.
“Second: to establish clear guidelines for recovery operations, in order to avoid random interventions that could lead to further deterioration. The report also proposes the possibility of adopting a build-back-better approach and integrating climate dimensions, sustainable land management, and nature-based solutions.
“Third: to estimate the actual cost of addressing environmental damage in a way that supports mobilizing funding and directing international programs according to national priorities. While the World Bank report estimated the cost of comprehensive recovery at around $11 billion through 2030, with the environmental sector’s share at approximately $512 million, our report identified a priority package of urgent interventions at around $300 million, distributed across marine ecosystems, soil, and air quality, for example.
“Fourth: to document all the evidence the Lebanese state needs to file complaints related to war crimes committed by the Israeli occupation army, specifically in the environmental dimension, and later proceed to seek compensation in accordance with relevant international conventions. This explains the careful pace of the analyses, results, and issuance of reports, so as not to leave any room for doubt or interpretation when the Lebanese state seeks to claim its rights, at the very least its moral rights.”
Minister El Zein concluded: “We are continuing to monitor the environmental damage resulting from the ongoing aggression as an extension of what this report documents.”
Abdullah
The Secretary-General of the National Council for Scientific Research, Dr. Shadi Abdullah, then spoke, saying:
“We gather today to announce a study that is not fleeting, but rather the fruit of eight months of work and sustained national effort carried out by the National Council for Scientific Research.”
The event concluded with a discussion of the report with Minister El Zein and Dr. Abdullah.
To view the report:
Https://shorturl.at/KKMcS
