The Reconstruction Process Between the Law, Ownership status, and people’s Return 

After approximately four months since the ceasefire, as residents began returning to border villages and attempting to restore their lives, Internal Security Forces patrols issued fines and halted construction for those who had started rebuilding their homes in Meiss al-Jabal, Kfar Kila, and Shaqra until they obtained the necessary permits. Although the extent and recurrence of these practices remain unclear, residents have expressed concerns about the reconstruction process, particularly in unmapped border villages and older homes lacking permits or ownership deeds, as well as the fate of buildings that were destroyed—whether licensed, unlicensed, or built on public property.

In this context, the recommendations of the “Reconstruction: Plan or Decision?” conference, organized by the Order of Engineers and Architects in Beirut, reaffirmed the need to enforce applicable laws in the reconstruction process, particularly the Urban Planning Law and the Building Law. The recommendations also emphasized that “violations on public property should not be considered acquired rights.”

This highlights the growing issue of requiring building permits for the reconstruction and the challenge of rebuilding structures that were either in violation of the Building Law or constructed on public land. Previously, the government had approved a draft law aimed at reconstructing buildings destroyed by the last Israeli aggression in Lebanon. The law sought to eliminate administrative complexities and financial fees, enabling citizens to rebuild their homes. Some argue that the Parliament should have passed such a law earlier to allow for the reconstruction of villages that predate the enactment of the Building Law and for rebuilding destroyed structures that had originally been constructed in violation of regulations.

Beyond all this, return and reconstruction today—particularly in border villages—are both a political stance and an act of resistance. First, because residents urgently need homes to shelter them and secure their right to return to their land. Second, because emptying border villages is the clear and declared objective of the Zionist enemy, which seeks to achieve this goal daily through continuous shelling aimed at preventing people from returning.

This makes it more crucial than ever for the state to facilitate and organize the reconstruction process in a way that safeguards people’s right to housing and respects the urban identity of the affected regions—all within the framework of resisting occupation. Therefore, any approach or recommendations regarding reconstruction must be localized, emerging from the specific conditions, challenges, and needs of each area and its residents. This would facilitate the swift return of residents to their villages, enable them to rebuild without administrative obstacles, and ensure that all displaced individuals can return to the places they have long called home.

Read the full text in Arabic.