BEIRUT — Several political parties in Lebanon, such as Hezbollah, the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement, have recently been busy preparing aid baskets containing cooking oil bottles, grains, canned food and other food items, medication and fuel vouchers. The parties distributed the baskets to their supporters and partisans in the north, south and in Beirut, saying they were helping people amid the economic crisis, especially during the fasting period for both Christians (ahead of Easter) and Muslims (during the month of Ramadan).

Notably, Hezbollah distributed Al-Sajjad cards, which carries the name of a Shiite imam, which people can use in specific grocery stores that the Shiite party opened in Beirut’s southern suburb and in the south, to buy basic goods such as sugar, flour and oil. These goods are available at these stores in Lebanese pounds at below-market prices and at a 30% discount, with the support of Hezbollah. The majority of the products found in these stores are made in Syria, Iran and Iraq and reportedly enter across the border with Syria.

Many Lebanese have criticized Hezbollah’s move since the movement established its own grocery stores instead of focusing its aid on food and coupons like other parties did. Some say Hezbollah's actions show the party to be a state within a state, receiving foreign funding that allowed it to establish large stores and to promote the aid on social media. Other parties do not have the capabilities to do so.  

This step seems to go in line with the line Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah pronounced in a televised speech on June 16, 2020, “We want to tell those betting on our hunger that we will not starve, and Lebanon will not starve.”