Israel’s Netanyahu says some Lebanese Christian villages ‘asked to be annexed’

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that some Christian villages in southern Lebanon had asked to be annexed by Israel, in order to be protected from Hezbollah rebels.

Lebanon was drawn into the wider Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.

Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, where its troops now occupy territory near the border.

“Christian villages in Lebanon, some of them have actually asked to be annexed to Israel, because we protect them against the Hezbollah, Hezbollah fanatics who want to kill them, and we do the same things with Christians everywhere,” Netanyahu told Fox News show “The Sunday Briefing”.

Netanyahu did not name the Christian villages he said had made such a request.

The mayor of the Christian village of Rmeish, Hanna al-Amil, was quoted by Lebanese public broadcaster NNA as denying Netanyahu’s claim.

Amil said that even contemplating the idea was “absolutely out of the question” and said that “15 Christian towns had issued a statement two days ago denying these allegations”.

The villages on Friday reaffirmed their determination to stay on their land, stressing their “loyalty to their national identity” and their “attachment to their Lebanese flag”.

Since the war began, some Christian villages in southern Lebanon have endured Israeli shelling, airstrikes, displacement and infrastructure damage.

Most have remained inhabited despite Israeli evacuation orders, with residents choosing to stay to protect their homes, churches and farmland, though some villages were partially or fully evacuated.

During the war, the Israeli military has warned several Christian-majority villages — through phone calls to mayors and local officials — not to allow “strangers” in, referring to Hezbollah fighters.

‘Who the boss is’

In a separate speech at a state ceremony on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s military would maintain its presence in southern Lebanon “as long as necessary in order to protect the residents of the north and all the citizens of Israel”.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, visited troops stationed near Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon on Sunday, vowing that the army would “continue to operate decisively to remove threats from Lebanese territory”.

Israeli forces have continued to clash with Hezbollah fighters despite a US-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon intended to pave the way toward a lasting end to hostilities.

During his interview with Fox News, Netanyahu also addressed reported disagreements with US President Donald Trump over the deal that halted the war with Iran.

“Let me say that we have an excellent relationship, which is defined, as I said, between allies,” Netanyahu said.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time, we see eye-to-eye, but as any, in any family, in any close friendship, there are sometimes differences of opinion, and we discuss them openly,” he added.

“I can tell you, in a free spirit, and usually we resolve them too.”

Netanyahu’s remarks came a day after Trump told the news outlet Axios that Netanyahu “knows who the boss is”.

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly criticised the Israeli premier amid negotiations over the Iran deal, accusing him of ingratitude and even calling him “crazy” over Israel’s escalation in Lebanon.

In his interview with Axios, Trump said Netanyahu was expected to visit Washington in the coming days.