Lebanese Christians have rejected Israeli claims that residents of Christian border villages in southern Lebanon have asked to join Israel or obtain Israeli citizenship, Al Jazeera reports.

Maroun el-Khouli, head of Lebanon’s General Confederation of Labour Unions, said Netanyahu’s remarks are “false” and are aimed at stirring up tensions between Christians and Shia Muslims in Lebanon.

He described the comments as part of a psychological and media campaign targeting Lebanon’s social fabric, saying Israel is trying to weaken the country’s internal unity after failing to achieve its military objectives.