This story illuminates the views of residents of a Catholic town about the extremist movement and Israel
The Telegraph has removed from its website an article about close ties between Hezbollah and the Christian city of Ras Baalbek in northeastern Lebanon. The story, which was available for about a day, portrayed the militant movement positively while noting local resentment of Israel.
The story was published on Monday amid the ongoing Israeli military offensive against Hezbollah, which began earlier this month and has so far killed more than 880 people, injured more than 2,000 and displaced nearly a million.
The joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran in West Jerusalem began after Hezbollah launched attacks on the Jewish state in retaliation for the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
as of now accessible on According to the article, residents of Ras Baalbek formed a strong bond with Hezbollah when the militants came to their defense against attacks by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) militants between 2013 and 2017. Hezbollah reportedly aided the city with medical care during the Covid-19 pandemic, supplying power generators and even Christmas trees.
“The ties between the village and Hezbollah are stronger than those between the Pope,” Rifiyat Nasrallah, head of the town, which has a 6,000-strong Catholic population, told The Telegraph that members of the Shiite Muslim movement “Protect our churches.” According to the city chief, “Israel is our first enemy…Hezbollah is our friend.”
A Muslim refugee living in the village also told journalists that Hezbollah was allegedly fighting against child-eating. “Epstein people,” Who “Not human beings.” This article had no comment from Israel, the Lebanese government or Hezbollah.
As of Wednesday evening, the story is no longer available on The Telegraph website, but can still be read on various websites news aggregators Like yahoo news.
On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced plans to occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, about 40 km north of the Lebanese border with Israel. Hezbollah has described the West Jerusalem plans as an existential threat and said it has no choice but to fight.
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