Key facts
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Christian villages in Lebanon have asked to be annexed by Israel.
- Netanyahu stated Israel provides protection to Christians against Hezbollah.
- The remarks were made during an interview on Fox News.
- Israel's actions in Lebanon have included the destruction of churches and damage to Christian religious sites.
- An image of an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus on a cross in southern Lebanon went viral.
- Lebanon's Health Ministry reported over 4,300 deaths and 12,200 wounded from Israeli attacks since March 2.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in a Fox News interview that Christians in Lebanon have requested annexation by Israel, stating that Israel protects them against Hezbollah. Netanyahu asserted that Israel takes care of its friends, particularly Christians in the Middle East, and that some Christian villages have asked to be annexed due to protection against what he called 'Hezbollah fanatics'.
However, Netanyahu's remarks are juxtaposed with Israel's actions in Lebanon, where reports indicate Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed churches and Christian sites. An image of an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus on a cross in southern Lebanon gained viral attention, as did a video of a soldier desecrating a statue of the Virgin Mary. The Melkite Greek Catholic St George Church in Derdghaya was also reportedly reduced to rubble.
Netanyahu offered no evidence to support his claims of Christian villages seeking annexation or protection, nor that Hezbollah specifically targets Christian villages. He also stated that other groups, including Druze and Sunni Muslims, seek Israeli protection, again without providing evidence. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that Israeli attacks have resulted in at least 4,304 deaths and 12,203 wounded since March 2.