'At God's mercy': Life after Unifil in Israeli-occupied Lebanese village
"They decide who enters." Elias said it flatly amid the mostly empty shelves of his neighbourhood shop in besieged Debel , one of the handful of towns allowed to remain populated in Israeli-occupied south Lebanon . The fruit and vegetable stand is bare. The soft drink fridge is empty. Enough stock gets through to keep villagers going, he added, but not much more. "We're an occupied village," he…
Debel, a Christian enclave in Israeli-occupied southern Lebanon, faces chronic food shortages as the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) prepares to withdraw. Shop owner Elias laments the bare shelves and limited provisions, stating, "We're an occupied village. We have no entrance or exit except through them." Villagers must secure approval from Israeli forces and UNIFIL for any movement in or out of their communities.
The four-hour journey to Debel, involving three Israeli checkpoints, highlights the hardships residents face simply accessing essential services. Unifil's mission ends in three months, leaving residents uncertain about their future. Israeli troops have also occupied homes on the outskirts of Debel, monitoring the population.
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- 'At God's mercy': Life after Unifil in Israeli-occupied Lebanese village thenationalnews.com
