Lebanon has a unique identity closely linked to the sea, as it is located on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea along a 220-kilometer coastal stretch. This identity has been reflected in various cultural, social and economic practices that shaped civilizations and coastal cities throughout the centuries. But the Lebanese coastline has witnessed several encroachments that changed its features, obstructed its continuity, and limited accessibility.
So, inhabitants of Lebanese coastal cities have often lost their connection to the sea. With the beginning of the civil war and the weakness of the Lebanese state, many influential individuals and groups encroached on large parts of the coast. The encroachments remained even after the ceasefire, and they took several forms, some of them were “regularized occupations” protected through decrees issued by the government. In reality, regularized occupation decrees are issued and implemented without conforming to the legal mandate or the signed international agreements. Some of the encroachments were considered violations awaiting removal.