A number of Christian villages in Lebanon issued a statement on Monday, refuting claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they had requested annexation by Israel.
Netanyahu had told Fox News' The Sunday Briefing: "Christian villages in Lebanon, some of them have actually asked to be annexed to Israel, because we protect them against Hezbollah, Hezbollah fanatics who want to kill them."
Israel currently occupies about 6 percent of Lebanese territory, despite claiming in the recent Lebanon-Israel framework agreement that it has no territorial ambitions in the country.
Lebanese analysts and residents of southern Lebanon lambasted Netanyahu's claims. Karim Emile Bitar, a professor of international relations at Saint Joseph University of Beirut, called them "cynical and a lie," noting that every mayor in southern towns denied the allegation.
Officials in 15 towns with Christian populations in southern Lebanon issued a statement denouncing what analysts said was an effort by Netanyahu to inspire sedition and strife among Lebanese.
Netanyahu's comments come on the back of a highly criticized, US-brokered agreement between Lebanon and Israel aimed at ending Israel's war on Lebanon. The latest fighting intensified on March 2, when Hezbollah fired six rockets at Israeli targets for the first time in over a year.
In recent months, Israel has attracted international criticism for indiscriminate attacks on Lebanese targets, including incidents involving Christians. Notably, an Israeli soldier sparked global uproar when he smashed a Jesus statue in south Lebanon in April.
Analysts believe Netanyahu and the Israeli government are trying to amplify tensions within Lebanon's sectarian system. "This seems to be clearly intended to sow civil strife in Lebanon, to pit the Lebanese against one another," Bitar said.
Lebanese officials also spoke out strongly against Netanyahu. Melhem Khalaf, a Greek Orthodox MP from Beirut, said Netanyahu "does not have the right to speak on behalf of Christians." Hanna al-Amil, head of the Christian municipality Rmeish, stated, "No village in the South has made such a request."
Source: www.aljazeera.com