STORY: Popular souk in Lebanon affected by confrontations between Hezbollah, Israel
SHOOTING TIME: May 24, 2024
DATELINE: May 26, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:01
LOCATION: HASBAYA, Lebanon
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Souk el Khan
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MOHAMMAD HAJINEH, Merchant from south Lebanon
2. various of Souk el Khan
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): NOUHAD ZEINEDDINE, Merchant from south Lebanon
5. various of Souk el Khan
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): YOUSSEF ABOU LTEIF, Falafel maker
7. various of Souk el Khan

STORYLINE:

Souk el Khan, a very popular market in Hasbaya, south Lebanon, has been affected by the economic situation of the country and the ongoing confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel.

Souk el Khan is an old market for the exchange of goods and one of archaeological landmarks in Hasbaya.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MOHAMMAD HAJINEH, Merchant from south Lebanon
"The situation is miserable, but because the people are heroic and steadfast, they remain here despite there being no security and no economy, which is the heart of life. Nobody cares, no government and no officials are asking about us."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): NOUHAD ZEINEDDINE, Merchant from south Lebanon
"The souk is still alive and represents the source of living for middle and low-class people. Because of the economic situation and the war on the border, the activity is slow in the souk. In the past, the souk was attended by people from all the nearby areas."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): YOUSSEF ABOU LTEIF, Falafel maker
"I have been preparing falafel since I was five, that is about 40 years ago. The souk used to be very busy with people from all around, but now the activity is barely five percent of what it used to be. The most important thing now is how can the souk continue to exist."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hasbaya, Lebanon.
(XHTV)