Syria blocking exports of lebanese produce

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lebanese fruitSyria has  prevented  the export of Lebanese agricultural products   via  its territories in retaliation for the burning of several Syrian fuel tankers over the past weeks, farmers and owners of packaging plants in south Lebanon said.

“The decision by the Syrian side to forbid Lebanese trucks to pass through Syria … amounts to an immense crisis affecting the owners of banana and citrus packaging plants and farmers across Lebanon,” said a statement read during a demonstration in Qassmieh, 10 km north of Tyre.

Syria always uses the borders to twist the arms of the Lebanese

This is not the first time that Lebanon – Syria borders becomes a major issue for truckers. The Syrians have always used the borders to twist the arms of the Lebanese.

In 2005 , following the assassination of Lebanon’s prime minister Rafik Hariri, Syria closed the borders with Lebanon, because the Lebanese accused the Syrian regime of being responsible for his assassination

In June 2007  when the fighting between Fatah al-Islam militants and the Lebanese army erupted , Syria closed the borders in the north of Lebanon, because the Lebanese accused the Syrians of supporting the militants.

Many analysts in Lebanon have been calling for bypassing the Syrian borders altogether by using the sea as the mode of transportation of Lebanon’s exports. These analysts think that Syria is not a reliable partner and therefore Lebanon cannot depend on it for exporting its agricultural products .

Lebanese agricultural products according to analysts are in big demand in the Middle East Gulf region due to their quality, unique flavor and excellent taste, but Syria has always been the obstacle in trying to bring these products to the markets on timely basis.

Picture: Lebanon Fruit and vegetables . In this country where you can swim and ski within one hour , it is difficult to name a fruit or vegetable that does not grow here. Lebanon is also blessed with a very moderate Mediterranean climate with distinct 4 seasons. The problem for Lebanese exporters  has always been the tough neighborhood, with Israel in the south and Syria in the north and east. This is why some are calling for bypassing land transportation all together and using the Mediterranean sea instead, because they say Syria is not a reliable partner. Israel on the other hand has invaded Lebanon several times, the last time was summer of 2006 when it destroyed the country’s infrastructure and fired over 1 million cluster bombs. Many Lebanese farmers have since died for coming in contact with some of the unexploded cluster bombs.

 

 

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20 responses to “Syria blocking exports of lebanese produce”

  1. Patience2 Avatar
    Patience2

    So … Lebanon SHOULD make an arrangement with the Israelis to ship to/through Jordan, etc., saying, screw you hezbians. A commercial arrangement could benefit both countries, Syria no longer turning the screws on Lebanon.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      And there’s a few refugees and citizens in ‘the north’ who could use some free or ‘cost only’ produce … hope it doesn’t just rot.

      1. Patience2 Avatar
        Patience2

        Those trucks SHOULD be rolling northward even as you speak. Routing and rerouting will take some time so in the meantime, well, as you yourself said, don’t let it rot. Boy, doesn’t that picture look beautiful??

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Yes it does. It IS what the country is capable of – if the idiots just let it happen.

  2. Patience2 Avatar
    Patience2

    So … Lebanon SHOULD make an arrangement with the Israelis to ship to/through Jordan, etc., saying, screw you hezbians. A commercial arrangement could benefit both countries, Syria no longer turning the screws on Lebanon.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      And there’s a few refugees and citizens in ‘the north’ who could use some free or ‘cost only’ produce … hope it doesn’t just rot.

      1. Patience2 Avatar
        Patience2

        Those trucks SHOULD be rolling northward even as you speak. Routing and rerouting will take some time so in the meantime, well, as you yourself said, don’t let it rot. Boy, doesn’t that picture look beautiful??

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Yes it does. It IS what the country is capable of – if the idiots just let it happen.

  3. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Patience2,
    This is exactly what I thought of. Enough being taken hostage by Syria every now and then because they are our only neighbour. This is the perfect occasion for Israel to show good faith towards Lebanon and open their northern borders with Lebanon for us to export our produces to Jordan and the rest of the Arab countries. BTY, this policy of Syria blackmailing Lebanon in this way will not change whatever the regime is in Damascus. Their way of dealing with Lebanon will always be a controlling demeaning way and the only way we can solve this problem is by having a peace treaty with Israel and have an alternative for exporting our produce to the Arab countries. Instead of Beirut, Damascus, Amman onwards, it will be Beirut, Haifa, Ramallah, Amman, onwards……But unfortunately talking about peace with Israel is TABOO….OUAA OUAA !We can talk about war with Israel because it is patriotic, heroic and “divine” (never mind destructive and killing people’s dreams, futures, and peace of mind), but ouaa ouaa peace with Israel !!!….Retarded people ! We are proud that we are the most advanced and modern people in the middle east but the Jordanians (Bedoins) and the Egyptians (with an Islamic government) are more independent and logical than we are.

    1. Patience2 Avatar
      Patience2

      You know … I agree with most of what you say and, the ones making that ‘BIG TABOO’ noise are the ‘Nasty’s hezbians’. What I found informative was Karam’s ‘Musings on Lebanon, Arab World…&c., &c.’
      When you say ‘Retarded people’, you might not know how close to the truth you are. The oppressors (ALL of them) will only be thrown off when the actual people themselves finally decide to take action.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        One action would be to ship to Cyprus. The Cypriots seem to need a boost too. Make Cyprus a ‘distribution centre’ and Greece, Turkey, and indeed the world open up to Lebanese goods.
        Free Idea from me. 🙂
        I know … some try …

        1. Patience2 Avatar
          Patience2

          There’s only one ‘small’ problem … you can’t drive a truck to Cyprus. Doing it by sea entails another BIG set of problems. However, man does (supposedly) have ingenuity.

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            It’s a ‘new age’ Patience. Think ‘Chunnel from Tripoli to Nicosia’. Pick up some oil on the way back. 😉 But have you seen the Greek ‘Flying Boats’? Speed and economy – without bruising your banana too much …. 🙂

          2. Patience2 Avatar
            Patience2

            Well, anything in a pinch … Maybe ‘flying boats’ cause less pollution than diesel trucks, too!

  4. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Patience2,
    This is exactly what I thought of. Enough being taken hostage by Syria every now and then because they are our only neighbour. This is the perfect occasion for Israel to show good faith towards Lebanon and open their northern borders with Lebanon for us to export our produces to Jordan and the rest of the Arab countries. BTY, this policy of Syria blackmailing Lebanon in this way will not change whatever the regime is in Damascus. Their way of dealing with Lebanon will always be a controlling demeaning way and the only way we can solve this problem is by having a peace treaty with Israel and have an alternative for exporting our produce to the Arab countries. Instead of Beirut, Damascus, Amman onwards, it will be Beirut, Haifa, Ramallah, Amman, onwards……But unfortunately talking about peace with Israel is TABOO….OUAA OUAA !We can talk about war with Israel because it is patriotic, heroic and “divine” (never mind destructive and killing people’s dreams, futures, and peace of mind), but ouaa ouaa peace with Israel !!!….Retarded people ! We are proud that we are the most advanced and modern people in the middle east but the Jordanians (Bedoins) and the Egyptians (with an Islamic government) are more independent and logical than we are.

    1. Patience2 Avatar
      Patience2

      You know … I agree with most of what you say and, the ones making that ‘BIG TABOO’ noise are the ‘Nasty hezbians’. What I found informative was Karam’s ‘Musings on Lebanon, Arab World…&c., &c.’
      When you say ‘Retarded people’, you might not know how close to the truth you are. The oppressors (ALL of them) will only be thrown off when the actual people themselves finally decide to take action.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        One action would be to ship to Cyprus. The Cypriots seem to need a boost too. Make Cyprus a ‘distribution centre’ and Greece, Turkey, and indeed the world open up to Lebanese goods.
        I know some try …

        1. Patience2 Avatar
          Patience2

          There’s only one ‘small’ problem … you can’t drive a truck to Cyprus. Doing it by sea entails another BIG set of problems. However, man does (supposedly) have ingenuity.

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            It’s a ‘new age’ Patience. Think ‘Chunnel from Tripoli to Nicosia’. Pick up some oil on the way back. 😉 But have you seen the Greek ‘Flying Boats’? Speed and economy – without bruising your banana too much …. 🙂

          2. Patience2 Avatar
            Patience2

            Well, anything in a pinch … Maybe ‘flying boats’ cause less pollution than diesel trucks, too!

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