How Israel is obstructing reconstruction in Lebanon

Israel has bombed Lebanon on an almost daily basis over the past year, despite a ceasefire being in place.

Its army claims to be attacking Hezbollah, accusing the group of re-arming. But civilian infrastructure, agricultural land and even construction equipment in southern border towns have been destroyed in the attacks.

At least 100 civilians have been killed over the past year. Just this week, 13 people died in an attack on Ain Al Hilweh, Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp.

Residents have been unable to rebuild their lives. Their homes lie in rubble. Their means of income have dried up. And any hope of reconstruction comes at a huge risk: more Israeli strikes.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to urban planner Isabela Serhan from The Beirut Urban Lab, senior Lebanon analyst at Crisis Group David Wood and The National’s Beirut correspondent Nada Maucourant Atallah. They discuss the heavy price paid by Lebanese communities in the south and the pressure mounting on the government to respond to the Israeli aggression.