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.
The mayor of Rmeish, a majority Christian town in Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil district, has rejected Netanyahu’s claim as 'completely false.' Hanna al-Amil stated that no towns in southern Lebanon had made such a request, adding that considering such a move was 'completely out of the question.' He stressed that the towns 'are not peripheral, but rather the heart of Lebanon, pulsating with patriotism, attachment to the land, and Lebanese identity.'
