Christian villages in Lebanon have refuted claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they requested annexation to Israel. Analysts and residents condemned the statements as fabricated and aimed at inciting sedition within Lebanon's sectarian system.
Israeli PM Netanyahu claims some Christian villages in southern Lebanon have requested annexation to Israel for protection from Hezbollah. The mayor of Rmeish, a Christian village, denied this claim.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu stated that some Christian villages in southern Lebanon have requested annexation by Israel for protection against Hezbollah. The mayor of Rmeish, a Christian village, denied this claim.
BBC Verify analysis confirms Israeli forces destroyed nearly a third of buildings in Qouzah, a predominantly Christian village in southern Lebanon, between March 3 and April 16. Joe Elias and his wife Diana, US citizens who returned to their ancestral village after 26 years in America, learned their home was flattened via satellite imagery. The IDF says it struck the house after anti-tank missiles were launched from the location on March 6. Over 1.2 million people have been displaced across Lebanon since fighting resumed in early March.
The Israeli military announced that two soldiers will face 30 days of military detention and be removed from combat duty for destroying a statue of Jesus Christ in the Christian village of Debl in southern Lebanon. The incident, which showed a soldier using a sledgehammer to strike a crucifix, drew widespread condemnation. Six additional soldiers who were present but did not intervene have been summoned for clarification discussions.
