LEBANON (Enmaeya Features) - October 22, 2025
"I used to pick four or five tins of olive oil from my land every year, but this time, I’ll be buying oil instead of selling it…" With these words, a farmer from Kfarchouba sums up the tragedy facing southern Lebanon’s olive growers this year, as Israeli bombardments destroyed the groves and damaged the soil, which could take years to recover.
In the southern villages that once overflowed with the scent of fresh olives and the activity of olive mills, a heavy silence has taken over the villages, one where the smell of phosphorus mingles with the scent of loss.
The olive season, once a symbol of resilience, has turned into a period of inactivity and uncertainty, as Israeli aggression has completely paralyzed agricultural life.
Farmers Unable to Access Lands
Agricultural sources told Enmaeya that Kfarchouba is among the most severely affected towns, with farmers unable to access their lands for weeks due to shelling and Israeli restrictions on movement near the border.
The sources added that the bombardment, especially phosphorus attacks, destroyed olive trees and caused severe soil damage, threatening future harvests as well.
A Ministry Bound by "Field Restrictions"
According to the sources, the Ministry of Agriculture is unable to intervene on the ground, as any entry into farmlands requires coordination with UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army, including submission of lists of farmers and vehicles for Israeli approval.
So far, no such permissions have been granted, leaving the agricultural sector in Kfarchouba, Arqoub, and neighboring areas completely paralyzed.
The Olive Tree: Symbol of Resilience
Villagers speak with deep sorrow as they watch their groves from afar, unable to harvest what they planted.
"The olive tree isn’t just a tree," says one farmer. "It’s our life, our source of strength and survival. Now the land is scorched, and the fields are empty".
Agricultural organizations warn of enormous losses, particularly in the olive sector, which represents the main source of income for most families in southern Lebanon. The damaged soil will require years of rehabilitation, while farmers cannot afford the costs on their own.
The sources call on the Lebanese state, international organizations, and UN agencies to provide urgent financial and agricultural assistance, including programs to rehabilitate damaged lands so that the olive season does not become a painful memory retold in every southern household.
Today, in the southern lands, farmers' footsteps have faded, and the olive harvest has disappeared; the olive tree has become yet another victim of Israeli bombardment.
