By Noemí Jabois and Isaac J. Martín
Sidon, Lebanon, Oct 24 (EFE).- Once alive with the hum of trade, the bustling bazaar of Lebanon’s Sidon now stands eerily quiet, its shutters closed and whispers of fear echoing through the streets, as the looming threat of Israeli bombs hangs over the coastal city.
In a small workshop cluttered with fabric scraps, Um Mohamed hurries through an order on her sewing machine, one of the few stores still open in the old souk as Israeli military ravages southern Lebanon, pushing the city to the edge of crisis.
Most shops are shuttered, with only a few people venturing through the narrow stone streets. Though Sidon has not yet been targeted like other southern Lebanese cities, fear and its proximity to conflict have already drained its once-lively atmosphere.
«When things became unbearable, fewer people came out, afraid to leave their homes. Some are even too scared to pick up their orders. They call first and rush in to grab them,» Um Mohamed told EFE.
Many Sidon residents have fled north to escape Israel’s relentless bombing campaign, while others remain, living alongside displaced families from further south who have sought refuge in the town. The ancient trading city now serves as a kind of boundary to the region most affected by the conflict.
An Exception to the Rule For two decades, Um Mohamed has worked as a seamstress in the souk, a place she calls home. «I was married here, my children were married here. This area is mine,» she said with a laugh.
Surrounded by closed shops, Um Mohamed said the market would stay open until 7 p.m., but now most businesses shut by 3 p.m. due to safety concerns.
«I am not afraid because my house is right across from the workshop. I stay up late with my daughters to finish the work. For the past month, we have been making mattresses and pillows for the displaced,» she said.
Recently, they have also started sewing nylon tents to shelter those who have fled their homes from the rains.
“There are more people now, all displaced, looking for places to stay—even schools are being used,» she said.
Since Israel’s bombing began a month ago, some 1.2 million people, about one-fifth of Lebanon’s population, have been forced to flee their homes, mainly in the south.
Opposite Um Mohamed’s shop is the carpenters’ area, where only two shops remain open compared to six before the war.
“My neighbors, who own three shops, have not opened since the beginning of the conflict,» she said, adding that when Israeli warplanes cause sonic booms, «the streets empty in seconds.»
«And that’s just a sonic boom. What will happen if they attack? Thank God, Sidon is still safe,» she said, recalling that the only other time she considered closing her shop was during the 2006 war with Israel.
“Everything Has Stopped”
Just a few meters from Um Mohamed’s workshop is the small store of 70-year-old Ibrahim Kerjiye, which has been open for nearly half a century.
Now, he sees little business aside from displaced families from the south. «They are the only ones keeping things moving. And not just in Sidon, but across all of Lebanon where they have sought refuge,» he told EFE.
Kerjiye reflected on the country’s economic collapse in 2019, which compounded Lebanon’s long-standing financial crisis. «The country was already frozen economically, even before this war.”
Marwan Araadan, another trader, agreed that Lebanon’s economy was at a standstill long before the conflict started.
These days, the only things being bought in the souk are essentials, food, water, and clothing.
Thanks to the displaced, there is still a semblance of life in the market, but it is clear this is the worst situation the traders have ever faced. «It’s tragic. There’s no business, everything has stopped,» Araadan said. EFE
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