Local and foreign media circulated news attributed to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he claimed that “some Christian towns in southern Lebanon asked Israel to join them to protect them from Hezbollah fighters.” As part of verifying the veracity of these allegations, the Factcheck - Lebanon team at the Ministry of Information contacted the Mayor of Rmeish Hanna Al-Amil. The mayor of Rmeish categorically denied the veracity of Netanyahu’s statements, stressing that the news was “unfounded” and that none of the southern towns had requested what he claimed. He added: “Merely thinking about such a matter is “absolutely out of the question,” pointing out that “15 Christian towns had issued a statement two days ago denying these allegations.” The mayor of Rmeish expressed his "surprise that these allegations have been circulated again, despite a clear and frank denial from the towns concerned."