PAKUAN MEDIA, NABATIEH – After months of living in uncertainty due to the prolonged conflict, residents of southern Lebanon are starting to return to their hometowns.
The return occurred after the achievement of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran which raised new hopes for regional stability.
A stream of vehicles was seen flowing towards Nabatieh City, one of the areas that suffered the most damage during the conflict.
Several vehicles were seen flying Hezbollah flags, while Lebanese soldiers stood guard at a number of points to ensure the situation remained safe.
Even though the atmosphere of the return was filled with gratitude, the sight that greeted the residents was far from encouraging.
Collapsed buildings, destroyed vehicles and roads strewn with rubble bear silent witness to the impact of the conflict that has hit the region.
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Returning to a House that is No Longer Whole
Many residents went straight to their homes shortly after arriving in Nabatieh. Some tried to look for items that could still be salvaged from the rubble, while others could only stand there staring at the buildings which were now nothing but rubble.
In a number of corners of the city, residents were seen gathered near walls covered with the names of victims who died during the conflict. An atmosphere of emotion cannot be avoided when they remember their family, friends and neighbors who can no longer return.
But behind the remaining destruction, the enthusiasm to restart life slowly grows.
“This Happiness Cannot Be Expressed in Words”
One of the residents, Fatmeh Nasrallah, admitted that he could not hide his happiness because he was finally able to return to his homeland.
According to Fatmeh, leaving her hometown during the conflict was a very difficult experience. Nabatieh is not just a place to live, but a part of his entire life journey since childhood.
“How could we live so far from our home? The happiness of being able to return home cannot be expressed in words,” he said.
He reminisces about his childhood, education and work, all of which were spent in that city.
“We played here, grew up here, went to school here and worked here. It all happened at Nabatieh,” he said.
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Optimism Rises from Destruction
Even though she has to face the harsh reality of seeing a city damaged by war, Fatmeh chooses to look to the future with optimism.
For him, the destruction that occurred was not the end of everything. It is believed that the returning residents will be able to rebuild Nabatieh to be better than before.
“I went back and told them that we would rebuild. Come home with me, and we will rebuild Nabatieh, and the city will be more beautiful than before,” he said.
He emphasized that the spirit of the community was not destroyed along with the collapsed buildings.
“They have destroyed Nabatieh, but we will rebuild it more beautifully. Everything will be new in Nabatieh,” he said.
New Hope After the Agreement
The return of citizens to southern Lebanon is one of the initial developments following the reaching of an agreement between the United States and Iran which is expected to reduce tensions in the region.
Although the recovery process is expected to take a long time, the return of thousands of residents to their homes is an important symbol that hope still exists amidst the wounds caused by the conflict.
For many families in Nabatieh, the journey home is not just about returning home. More than that, this return was the beginning of an effort to rebuild a life that had been interrupted by the war.***
