Inside the Christian border town in Lebanon that says it survived by defying Hezbollah

close Video Christian border town in South Lebanon says rejecting Hezbollah kept it safe from Israeli strikes In an exclusive interview residents of the Christian town of Rmeish near Israel’s border say locals refused to allow Hezbollah fighters to infiltrate the area during the war, leaving the town untouched. (Credit: Jusoor News) NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Hören Sie sich diesen Artikel an 4 Min 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. Homes remain intact. 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. They target launch sites." Hezbollah DISARMAMENT DEADLOCK RISKS CIVIL WAR, ANALYSTS SAY, AS US PREPARES FOR Israel–Lebanon TALKS Churches in the southern Lebanese town of Rmeish remained standing throughout the conflict, as residents say the community resisted Hezbollah attempts to launch rockets from the area. (Jusoor News) The account offers a rare public glimpse into open resistance to Hezbollah inside southern Lebanon, where criticism of the Iranian-backed terrorist group is often met with accusations of treason or collaboration with Israel. Tarek, a Christian social activist from Rmeish who spoke by phone with Fox News Digital, said residents of the town have long-faced pressure because they refused to align with Hezbollah. "After 2000, when Israel left, we were always labeled as collaborators of Israel," Tarek said. "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. 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. Hezbollah worked to build facilities below private residential buildings and houses in southern Lebanon. (Benoît Durand / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images) 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 Residents of the Christian border town of Rmeish in southern Lebanon say the village remained largely untouched during the war after locals prevented Hezbollah fighters from operating inside the town. (Jusoor News) "It’s about cutting the head of the octopus, which is the Iranian regime," he said. "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 A landscape view of Rmeish, a predominantly Christian town near the Israel-Lebanon border whose residents say they worked to keep Hezbollah fighters out of the village during the war. (Jusoor News) "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." A view of the southern Lebanese border town of Rmeish near Israel. (Jusoor News) 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. For more than two decades, many Christians living near the border suffered under Hezbollah’s dominance, yet were stigmatized and often afraid to speak openly against it." "Today," Al Hendi added, "with the changing balance of power, they are increasingly confronting Hezbollah publicly and speaking out against what they see as its tyranny." Efrat Lachter is a foreign correspondent for Fox News Digital covering international affairs and the United Nations. Follow her on X @efratlachter. Stories can be sent to efrat.lachter@fox.com. Fox News' Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world." By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!