Lebanese strive to rebuild amid fragile ceasefire

When Bassam Khawand, a 55-year-old beekeeper from the southern Lebanese village of Saidun, returned to his hives after the halt of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, he found some of his bees dead. For months, Israeli shelling during the 13-month conflict had trapped him in his village, unable to take care of his bees.

But now, with the ceasefire in place since November 27, Khawand could finally care for his bees again — his source of honey and income. "It was too dangerous to leave the village because we work in the forest, where, at any time, you could be hit by a drone," he told DW.

Khawand was facing a tough season — some of his bees died from lack of food, and others were burned in the fires triggered by Israeli airstrikes. Honey sales dropped as "nobody wants honey like they used to," and he couldn't produce enough honey or train beekeepers, which is key to his business.

But now, Khawand is focused on rebuilding, caring for his bees, boosting honey production and training other beekeepers again.

Israel's war with Hezbollah in Lebanon killed nearly 4,000 people and more than 16,000 wounded, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Over 1 million were displaced, and the economy was devastated.

Lebanon's agriculture sector hit hard  

Fires destroyed up to 65,000 olive trees, and 6,000 hectares of agricultural land have been damaged, according to Minister of Agriculture Abbas Hajj Hassan, who called the use of phosphorus munitions by Israel "an act of ecocide" on Arabic news channel Al Jazeera.

Rose Bechara, founder of the award-winning olive oil company Darmmess in the southern Lebanese village of Deir Mimas, told DW that when Israeli military airstrikes were pounding Lebanon, she had to move production to another facility in another southern village, far from the border.

Despite the devastation, there's a glimmer of hope, said Bechara, as pre-harvest soil analyses confirmed that Deir Mimas' soil remains free of heavy metals and phosphorus, promising potential for future production.

Still, the toll on southern Lebanon's farmers is staggering. An estimated 60% of them could not harvest this year due to the war, with Bechara herself facing losses of about $500,000 (€472,820) in equipment and production capacity.

While the fertile lands that once sustained life now bear the scars of war, Lebanon begins to reckon with the challenges of rebuilding and renewal amid a fragile ceasefire that offers a moment of respite.

Massive destruction makes rebuilding a challenge

Lebanon's economy was already in crisis before the war due to an economic downturn that began in 2019. High inflation, currency devaluation, and soaring prices pushed 82% of the population living in "multidimensional poverty," according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA).

The war with Israel has deepened the crisis even further, data recently compiled by World Bank shows.

Over 99,000 housing units, along with vital public facilities, have either been damaged or destroyed. The cost of physical damages and economic losses is estimated at $8.5 billion, while an independent task force forecasts the economic impact could exceed $20 billion.

Sami Atallah, founding director of the Beirut-based think tank, The Policy Initiative, says the conflict has not only been shrinking the economy further but has left people without a functional banking sector to support rebuilding efforts. "Unlike the 2006 war, Israel also targeted private property this time, worsening Lebanon's economy as people's savings are gone and incomes have plummeted," he told DW.

Securing funding is essential

While several countries provided millions in aid to displaced people during the war, rebuilding the country requires more substantial resources.

After this ceasefire, Iran has promised support, while Hezbollah officials have pledged compensation, and Iraq stated it will aid both Lebanon and Gaza.

In October, an international aid conference in Paris raised $1 billion in pledges, including funding for the Lebanese Armed Forces, which will be crucial in enforcing the ceasefire.

Leila Dagher, associate professor of economics at the Lebanese American University, thinks that Lebanon's reconstruction relies on international funding, with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) package crucial for unlocking support from global donors. "The challenge lies in ensuring that the funding is tied to transparent, reform-driven mechanisms to prevent mismanagement and rebuild confidence in Lebanon's governance," she told DW.

Sami Atallah believes that funding reconstruction efforts faces major hurdles, as Gulf nations show less interest, Iran's support remains uncertain, and Western countries, while advocating for rebuilding, contribute arms to Israel. Corruption risks also persist, with politically connected firms dominating contracts, often with donor complicity. "It's essential to have greater accountability from both Lebanese authorities and international donors," he said.

With the Lebanese state's domestic resources depleted, and a concrete reconstruction plan yet to be developed, Dagher urges the government to "prioritize transparent, accountable reconstruction policies, learning from past crises." A public online database to track aid and progress, she said is "essential for fostering trust and minimizing corruption."

Reform-driven government crucial for rebuilding trust

Lebanon has been without a president since October 2022, and the caretaker government lacks full empowerment. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has scheduled a session for the presidential election on January 9, 2025.

This political vacuum fuels distrust among international donors, already wary of Lebanon's history of corruption and mismanagement, with the current government seen as dysfunctional and ineffective.

"The Lebanese state must oversee reconstruction to avoid a fragmented approach, and political parties must not interfere in the reconstruction process, as their influence undermines the state's ability to function effectively," Atallah said.

Dagher believes a reform-driven government is crucial for rebuilding trust with the Lebanese people and the international community. "To unlock international funding, Lebanon urgently needs to elect a reform-minded president and prime minister committed to transparency and accountability," she said.

Will the ceasefire hold?

However, reconstruction and reforms are tightly linked to a lasting ceasefire. The Lebanese remain cautious, living in the present, as the situation could unravel at any moment.

A source from UNIFIL told CNN Israel breached the ceasefire agreement about 100 times since the truce went into effect, while Hezbollah has responded with rocket attacks.

Rose Bechara thinks that plans for the future cannot be made yet as it's unclear if the ceasefire will hold. "We can't say anything until we have a clear vision of the situation. No one is ready to continue the war, but we don't feel safe enough to return yet," she said.

And beekeeper Bassam Khawand hopes that the ceasefire will last, "We have enough damage, but we have a neighbor that it's not easy to work with."

Edited by: Uwe Hessler