BRIC Team reports: The church bells still ring in Rmeish on the Lebanon-Israel border.While much of southern Lebanon has suffered destruction during the war between Israel and the terror group Hezbollah, the predominantly Christian border town close to Israel remained largely untouched. Churches are still standing. Residents say the village avoided Israeli strikes because locals refused to allow Hezbollah fighters to operate from inside the town."There was more than one attempt for them to come to the outskirts or the entrance of the village to launch rockets from there," one resident told Jusoor News.
"The young men of Rmeish confronted them and prevented them from entering.""That led to the protection of Rmeish from any Israeli attacks," the resident said. "The Israelis do not target aimlessly. "We suffered a lot from this stigma."He said Hezbollah supporters accused the town of cooperating with Israel simply because it escaped the destruction seen in neighboring villages.The interviews come as the Trump administration brokers talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at stabilizing the border and addressing Hezbollah’s military presence in southern Lebanon.
Background
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem recently rejected any discussion about disarming the group, while U.S. officials continue pushing to strengthen the Lebanese state over the armed terror group.Tarek argued Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon cannot be separated from Iran."The Lebanese government has been ruled by Hezbollah for almost 36 years," he told Fox News Digital. "They are deeply entrenched in all arms of the government, security, army and institutions.""If the president or prime minister says they want peace, Hezbollah will resist that," he added.Tarek said weakening Iran is the key to weakening Hezbollah.IRAN COULD ‘ACTIVATE’ HEZBOLLAH IF US TARGETS REGIME, TRUMP’S INNER CIRCLE TO DECIDE: EXPERT"It’s about cutting the head of the octopus, which is the Iranian regime," he said.
Key facts
- "The young men of Rmeish confronted them and prevented them from entering.""That led to the protection of Rmeish from any Israeli attacks," the resident said.
- Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem recently rejected any discussion about disarming the group, while U.S.
- "Where would we go?"An older resident said his family has suffered from violence along the border since the 1970s."We are tired of wars," he said.
What this means
"Once you cut the head, Hezbollah will no longer function."Another resident said many in the town increasingly believe "Hezbollah’s project is an Iranian project, not a Lebanese one."Another woman from the village described living surrounded by war while trying to keep the town outside the fighting.‘WAR FOLLOWED US’: A SYRIAN FAMILY FLED BEIRUT AFTER ISRAELI BOMBARDMENT TO FACE REPRESSION, BOMBING AT HOME"We are in the middle, and the war surrounds us from all sides," she said. "This makes us live in a state of fear, anxiety, insecurity and instability."A man from the village said residents had endured decades of wars that they have nothing to do with."We decided to remain steadfast," he said.
"Where would we go?"An older resident said his family has suffered from violence along the border since the 1970s."We are tired of wars," he said. "We want nothing but peace."Despite accusations from Hezbollah supporters, residents insisted they do not regret standing up to the terrorist group."All accusations of treason are rejected," one resident said. "The people of Rmeish want to live safely on their land."Another resident added: "Just because I don’t believe in your project doesn’t mean I’m a traitor."Ahed Al Hendi, a senior fellow at the Center for Peace Communications, told Fox News Digital that, "The defiance shown by Christians in southern Lebanon reflects a major shift in the country’s internal dynamics.
