Lebanese MP proposes transforming Hezbollah tunnels into wine cellars

BEIRUT — MP Adib Abdel-Massih said on Thursday that he will formally propose to the Lebanese Army and government not to destroy or demolish the discovered tunnels in the South, as they could be transformed into wine cellars.

Since the Nov. 27 cease-fire agreement that followed more than 13 months of war between Hezbollah and Israel, UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army have uncovered several tunnels in the region, as part of the latter's efforts to dismantle the group's military assets south of the Litani River. The Lebanese Army has already deployed to at least 85 percent of the South and is planning to expand its deployment in the coming months.

"A cluster of bottles, not bombs ... I will formally propose to the Lebanese Army and government not to destroy or demolish the discovered tunnels in the South, given their potential added value. They could be transformed into facilities with economic and touristic significance, specifically, wine-aging cellars similar to the Milestii Mici tunnels in the Republic of Moldova, which were military tunnels during World War II and have since become the largest wine cellars in the world, housing more than one and a half million bottles, the oldest dating back to 1968," reads a post to X published by MP Abdel-Massih on Thursday.

Extractions in the underground galleries at Mileștii Mici, initially intended for extracting limestone for construction, began in 1886. Following World War II, the process was mechanized, significantly increasing the volume of stone extracted and the length of the galleries, extending over 200 km. There is no reliable evidence that the Mileștii Mici tunnels were used during World War II for any military purpose.

"Transforming these sites from disputed or illegal areas into productive national landmarks reflects our ability as Lebanese to turn challenges into opportunities, just as we can transform our differences into a source of richness and unity," the MP finally said.