The Minister of Agriculture in the caretaker government, Abbas al-Haj Hassan, called on the political parties and forces to launch tree planting campaigns in all Lebanese regions, hoping that agriculture can unite us at a time when politics has divided us. This statement was made during his sponsorship of a ceremony held by the "Islamic Message Scouts" in the "City of Martyrs in Ein al-Biniya" in the town of Taybeh in Baalbek, to launch the Ministry of Agriculture's tree planting campaign in the Baalbek-Hermel governorate.
The event was attended by MPs Ghazi Zaiter, Enaya Sleh, and Melhem al-Hajiri, the Director General of the Ministry, Engineer Louis Lahoud, the head of the Baalbek-Hermel Department, Dr. Abbas al-Dairani, the head of the Baalbek Union of Municipalities, Shafiq Qassem Shihade, the deputy commander of the Islamic Message Scouts, Qasem Obeid, a delegation from the leadership of the Amal Movement in the Baalbek region, current and former mayors, members of municipal and elective councils, and social figures.
Minister al-Haj Hassan began his speech by greeting the Islamic Message Scouts for their efforts, their mission, and their thoughts in building humanity and preserving the essence and surroundings. "You wear the mantle of the founding Imam, carrying the banner of the deprived, coexistence, and tolerance, and you continue the journey with the bearer of the trust, State President Brother Nabih Berri," he said.
He stated: "From Baalbek, the beginning of loyalty and the oath, and the end of martyrdom and sacrifice, convoys circled around the blessed banner from this land. Once again, we launch a tree planting campaign with the Islamic Message Scouts as part of the national tree planting campaign this year, a partnership that we consider fundamental to our collective success and the success of the project and vision. We hope this partnership will be extended to various entities and organizations."
He emphasized that "sustainable work in the agricultural sector is part of completing the image of the homeland in all its sectors, with the Islamic Message Scouts in Baalbek and the Bekaa. In the coming days, we will be in the fruit region with Islamic Endowments, in the Maronite and Catholic archdioceses, and earlier in the Dinnieh, Akkar, Minieh, and Ehden, passing through the proud mountains and reaching the south, our common direction; the south that is targeted by the Israeli enemy with phosphorus bombs, burning the green and the dry. The enemy wants to burn our forests and trees; he wants to break our will, but history has taught us that we are a people who have no choice but to triumph, a triumph since the beginning and in every invasion and attack. We have given the dearest and bravest youth for the sake of the homeland, the entire homeland."
He added: "Our Imam has said from day one that Israel is absolute evil. The burning of thousands of dunams with white phosphorus is nothing but a systematic crime that we put before the world, all the world, and we will replant what has been burned to become the emblem of our triumph, resilience, and deep roots in our land and our rights. Just as the tobacco seedling was a symbol of victory, the olive tree will be a symbol of a new phase of triumph."
He continued: "Once again, this launching from here, from this blessed place in Baalbek, confirms our determination to move forward alongside our internal partners, whom we hope will be cooperative to ensure the success of the agricultural sector."
