Lebanon's Nabatieh begins slow rebuild despite obstacles after Israeli destruction of historical sites

Stately homes and Ottoman-era markets in the southern city were destroyed in heavy bombardment during the war last year

Among the dozens of historic homes that dotted the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, few were as renowned or majestic as El Fadl villa.

Reduced to a shell last year, the mansion was the family home of Mohammad Bek El Fadl, one of the leaders of the political movement against the French Mandate, which brought Lebanon independence in 1943.

He was among a handful of independence leaders who signed the red and white horizontal triband – with its green cedar tree at the centre – that became the Lebanese flag.

The single-storey villa, built in the 1930s, had proudly stood the test of time until it suffered serious damage in a series of air strikes as Israel escalated its bombardment of Lebanon, after exchanging low-level cross-border attacks with Hezbollah for nearly a year.

The stone pillars and walls at the entrance remain intact, but its roof is a patchwork of shattered tiles. Its tall reception room is covered by a makeshift roof propped up by flimsy wooden supports. The interior is dark, save for pockets of sunlight breaking through the holes in the roof.

The Israeli attacks did not spare the renowned Ottoman-era markets in the city, long an economic crossroads with a rich social history, which drew traders from Palestine and elsewhere in the region.

“It was a devastating war. Nabatieh witnessed a very high level of destruction of homes, buildings, shops, and the commercial market,” said Mohamed Jaber, an official from the local municipality.

While Israel claimed it was hitting Hezbollah assets, the attacks were seen in Lebanon as a vicious attack on a vital part of the country's cultural heart.

The repeated deadly Israeli barrages against Nabatieh left the city's cultural heritage severely damaged, even if it did not destroy the pulse of the city that built it.

The Shaheen family home in Nabatieh was destroyed by Israeli bombing. Photo: Mohamad Zanaty for The National

“In the city of Nabatieh, many heritage and historic houses have been lost. These houses are not just stones; they hold memory, history – social, political, and cultural,” said Ali Mazraani, a historian from Nabatieh who has written books on the city's heritage.

“This house, unfortunately, is now in ruins, having been destroyed by recent Israeli attacks,” he said, standing by the ruins of what was another famous home in Nabatieh, this one belonging to the Shaheen family, with white and blue floor tiles scattered across the site.

He showed a colour photograph of the home as it was - a stately white villa with a colonnaded front, sitting amid lush lawns.

“We lost a large part of our social, cultural and heritage memory in these raids. We didn't just lose stones; we lost a part of our memory that has vanished and disappeared.

“Only a small minority have rebuilt at their own expense. Without urgent action, more of these houses could collapse and vanish forever,” said Mr Mazraani.

The El Fadl home retains its grandeur despite the damage suffered, and is being restored through the efforts of its current owner.

“Two air strikes caused major damage,” said Kamel Jaber, a local journalist. “Its new owner vows to restore it, making it a landmark named after Mohammad Bek El Fadl.”

Whatever restoration is taking place in Nabatieh is largely through private initiatives. Lebanon was already in an economic crisis before the war, and the government is unable to bear the estimated $11 billion cost of rebuilding from the extensive damage caused by Israel across the country's south and east and in the capital, Beirut. Foreign funding to help the reconstruction effort has yet to materialise, being conditioned on Lebanon undertaking systemic reforms.

A small section of the old souk is being rebuilt in Nabatieh. Photo: Mohamad Zanaty for The National

“There have been promises from the government – visits from ministers, even the prime minister, but we are still in the stage of promises that haven’t materialised,” said Mohamed Jaber, who, besides being a municipal official, is also a member of the local traders association.

The government has conducted surveys to assess the extent of the damage, but that is the most it can offer for now.

Israel's bombardment of Nabatieh, which peaked in mid-October in a barrage of strikes that killed the city's mayor who had stayed behind to co-ordinate aid for the few people who had not fled, razed the centuries-old market.

A section of the Old Souq is being rebuilt under an initiative by a local business, but dozens of other historic structures that were bombed are either destroyed or damaged and at risk of further degradation.

Shops in the vicinity of the souq have reopened, and the streets are as busy as before the war, but parts of the marketplace that was for centuries the economic and social heartbeat of Nabatieh lie flattened.

“Most of the buildings in Nabatieh date back to the Ottoman era, along with buildings and palaces belonging to leaders of that era,” said Mr Jaber.

“There were commercial markets and what are known as khans here in Nabatieh, built with stone and arches,” he said, referring to the rest inns that greet weary travellers.

Inside the damaged former home of Lebanese independence movement leader Mohammad Bek El Fadl in Nabatieh. Photo: Mohamad Zanaty for The National

“These served as rest stops for many who passed through Nabatieh, from the coast to Palestine and the mountainous regions.”

Further complicating any reconstruction effort is the constant Israeli threat. Although it agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah last November, Israel continues to bomb Lebanon daily and occupy Lebanese territory near the border.

The villages and towns around Nabatieh have suffered from some of the worst attacks in recent months, with the hum of Israeli drones ever present.

“This creates constant fear and anxiety among the people,” said Mr Jaber.

Nonetheless, he remains defiant.

“Heritage sites belong to the people of Nabatieh. They tell the story and reflect the civilisation of the people who lived in Nabatieh throughout history,” he said.

“At the same time, the memories that exist among the people of Nabatieh are not just a matter of stone. Anything can disappear, but heritage and history remain.”