Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Jul 6: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that some Christian villages in Lebanon had asked to be annexed by Israel for protection against Hezbollah, though he did not provide evidence to support the assertion.
In an interview with Fox News aired on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel was committed to protecting its allies, particularly Christians in the Middle East.
"Christian villages in Lebanon, some of them have actually asked to be annexed to Israel because we protect them against Hezbollah fanatics who want to kill them," he said, adding that Israel extended similar support to Christians elsewhere in the region.
Netanyahu also claimed that members of Lebanon's Druze, Sunni Muslim and some Shia Muslim communities had sought Israeli protection, but again offered no evidence to substantiate the remarks.
The comments came amid continued international scrutiny of Israel's military operations in Lebanon and Gaza. Critics have pointed to incidents in which Israeli strikes allegedly damaged churches and Christian religious sites in southern Lebanon.
In May, French Christian organisation L'Oeuvre d'Orient alleged that Israeli forces demolished a convent belonging to the Salvatorian Sisters in the village of Yaroun. Earlier this year, videos circulated on social media purportedly showing Israeli soldiers damaging Christian statues in southern Lebanon, drawing criticism from religious groups.
Netanyahu's remarks also follow recent comments by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for intensified military action in Lebanon after Israeli soldiers were killed in the country's south.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's Health Ministry has said that Israeli military operations since Mar 2 have killed at least 4,304 people and injured more than 12,200 others. The figures have not been independently verified.
Netanyahu, who faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict, has denied wrongdoing.