Initial estimates following the recent war in Lebanon indicate some $3.6 billion in physical damage to country, the Lebanese reconstruction chief recently declared. The worst cases of destruction took place in southern Lebanon, where infrastructure, housing and agriculture fields were severely damaged. It is estimated for instance, that some 15,000 housing units were hit and some 100,000 people are currently seeking shelter. This is in addition to damaged roads, bridges and other public facilities.
Refugees who had fled the south when fighting broke out came home to scenes of unimaginable destruction after returning to their villages and towns following the UN brokered truce announced last Monday. Some 1 million Lebanese in all were forced to flee their homes and become refugees during the war. Now, their anger is directed towards Israel and its American sponsor. However, there are also some voices which have begun to express anger over Hizbullah's decision to drag the country to war.
"This war destroyed our lives. Did they (Hizbullah) expect what would happen here in the south when all this mess started?" asked one southern Lebanon resident, who preferred not to be named. "We live in fear. Perhaps this truce will end tomorrow and again we will have to become refugees. We have lost our security".
Hizbullah does not want the country’s citizens to turn on it, and is fighting potential anger with promises to compensate locals with cash grants. Critics of Hizbullah, however, claim the money is coming from the group’s largest backer, Iran. Tehran is not denying the fact. "It is quite natural for Iran to participate in the country's reconstruction efforts”, said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hamid-Reza Asefi.
In addition, the same critics have expressed doubt regarding the ability of Hizbullah to successfully cope with the huge economic disaster in southern Lebanon as the Shiite group's financial strength falls far short of the billions of dollars in damage created by the war.
In addition, Hizbullah’s financial support to those struggling in the aftermath of the war has been limited to those whose homes were damaged or destroyed. Many others, however, are naturally seeking compensation for businesses losses as well. "A war of one month has ruined the crop of one year," Sameh Shalhoub, a tobacco farmer in the south, was quoted as saying by Reuters. Hizbullah admits that at this stage no aid will be offered to business owners.
Furthermore, there are questions regarding Hizbullah’s ability, not to mention will, to help all of the southern region’s residents. Claims have been voiced that Hizbullah prefers, first and foremost, to help Lebanon’s needy Shiite community, which constitutes the group’s support base in the south. Such a situation will likely leave many Sunnis and Christians in desperate need of aid unless the Lebanese government takes responsibility for their rehabilitation.
Indeed, there are an increasing number of voices in Lebanon and across the Arab world calling on the Fuad Siniora government to stand up and take responsibility to avoid the perpetuation of a "state within state" situation. These voices suggest that, much as the Lebanese army has shown determination in its deployment in the south, the cabinet's economic arm should extend to all residents in south Lebanon. Accordingly, the Lebanese government announced on Sunday its compensation plan for the nation’s southern residents.
In this relation, Arab diplomats in Cairo said Arabs want to counter the flood of money coming from Iran to finance Lebanon's reconstruction needs. "This is a war over the hearts and minds of the Lebanese, which Arabs should not lose to the Iranians this time," said a senior Arab League official, according to the AP.
These comments, which were aired on the sideline of a meeting of Arab foreign ministers, reflect a new trend following the war, stressing the need to fight Iranian/Hizbullah efforts to gain control over Lebanon’s southern residents.
