TYRE, Lebanon (AP) – A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah brought hope for normalcy to many in southern Lebanon on Friday, including fishermen who have long launched single-engine wooden boats in the Mediterranean at dawn.
During the last two months of its war against Hezbollah, Israel has besieged southern Lebanon where hundreds of fishermen have been sheltered at this ancient Phoenician port on the coast, elevating their livelihood and industry.
Although less important than destruction and displacement, the siege of the port cut off many people from important traditional Lebanese dishes such as sayadiyeh – fish and rice cooked in fish sauce – or fried and grilled fish eaten with dips such as hummus and tabbouleh or fattoush salads. .
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The loss of fish has affected the deep ties with the village, but now the opportunity to improve the fishing of Lebanon on the south coast is helping to hope for a brighter future.
On Friday, a few boats went near the shore while the fishermen in the port worked on the nets of the small boats painted white, blue or red.
Hussein Sukmani, 55, said on Friday that he was thinking of going to the beach in the coming days but was waiting to see how things would turn out.
He has not dared to sail since the war between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on Sept. 23. “Those were the days of fear and dread,” he said. “They were the hardest days of our lives.”
Last week, an airstrike killed two young fishermen in the city as they were setting nets on the beach, and some fishermen said on Friday that the Lebanese army told them that if they left they would put themselves in danger.
Among those who sailed near the coast of Friday was Walid Darwish, who returned to the port with two plastic boxes filled with bees.
“Today is the first time for us to sail,” Darwish said, adding that fishermen missed the first season in October and November.
“We were throwing it away,” he said.
The Israeli military banned any boats from within 50 kilometers (31 miles) of the border in October and did not say whether the warning was still in effect.
Sukmani said most of the 700 fishermen working in the 270 boats at the port have not moved out of fear since then.
The area around the harbor is a predominantly Christian community that has not been attacked by airstrikes in other parts of Tire that have destroyed buildings in this city.
In quieter times, the harbor attracts tourists, Lebanese and foreigners who come for sightseeing, restaurants and beaches.
On Friday, Mohammed Hammoud walked along the coast of Tire carrying his fishing rod.
“It is enough for one to be able to stand in this beautiful place,” he said pointing to the white sand. “Fishing is everything to me,” added Hammoud, who went fishing several times in the area north of the city of Sidon that was not part of the siege.
In the old Tire market, Gilbert Spiridon watched from inside his shop as people came to buy the freshly delivered fish. Before the war, it took hours for him to sell all his fish to people from all over Lebanon.
“What I wish is for the war to be over and for us to go back to the good old days,” he said.