After a ceasefire was implemented in Lebanon on November 27, following more than two months of war with Israel, the Lebanese government held a special session on December 7 in the southern city of Tyre and approved a draft law for rebuilding the cities and villages destroyed by Israeli attacks, forwarding it to parliament for approval.

The draft law closely mirrors a law approved in 2014 for the reconstruction of southern Beirut after the 2006 war, with minor modifications, raising concerns about its ability to address the current context. The draft law allows for the reconstruction of destroyed buildings as they were before, with certain restrictions and exemptions. However, it faces challenges related to informal settlements and the complexities of shared ownership in some areas. Additionally, it favors property owners, putting tenants at risk of displacement if landlords refuse to rebuild or repair homes.

More importantly, the draft law overlooks non-material aspects of recovery, such as reviving local economies, restoring social cohesion, and environmental recovery. Furthermore, it does not address the varying levels of destruction across different regions. Finally, the law does not clarify the institutional framework responsible for assessing damage and distributing compensation, raising concerns about the influence of political parties in reconstruction efforts, as seen during previous crises.

Thus, regardless of its immediate issues in terms of content, it appears that the draft law does not address the previous and emerging challenges we are facing, and risks repeating the mistakes of past failed reconstruction experiences.

Read the full commentary in Arabic