Displaced southern Lebanese protesters demand end to Israeli attacks outside UN office in Beirut and share their stories with RT Dozens of displaced Lebanese from the country’s south have gathered outside the United Nations offices in Beirut to protest Israeli attacks that have led to the destruction of homes, towns, and villages. Israel has launched strikes on Iran, prompting Hezbollah to retaliate.
Israel responded with airstrikes and expanded its existing military presence in the south of the country. Israel has reportedly occupied about 600 sq km of territory in southern Lebanon, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians from about 57 towns and villages located within the zone, protesters told RT.
This day will serve as an international day against evictions, bombings and destruction, especially since Israel, that cruel enemy, has destroyed the very foundations of life in the south.” Another protester said that “territories [in southern Lebanon] have experienced and continue to be subjected to systematic destruction that contradicts all international standards.” The protesters also urged Lebanese authorities to support the displaced people, stressing that “they want to know what the future holds and they want to avoid uncertainty.
Last week, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told parliament that the World Bank’s estimated reconstruction cost had risen to about $37 billion from $27 billion. billion. He also said that about 91,000 homes had been damaged or destroyed amid the ongoing Israeli offensive. The international community has linked reconstruction funding to the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah, a process that analysts say could take years and remains a major political challenge for Lebanon.