Southern Lebanese village denies claims of 'Israeli flag' symbolism in sidewalk paint

A border village in southern Lebanon has rejected claims that it used the colours of the Israeli flag in local infrastructure, following a wave of online accusations.

Social media users accused the Christian village of Rmeish of painting pavements in blue and white to mimic the Israeli flag, calling the move "provocative" and insensitive given Israel's latest war on the country, which included targeting of the village itself, and continued occupation of the south.

Among those fuelling the claims was Qassem Hodroj, a Hezbollah-aligned political adviser, who posted an image of the painted pavement on X, alleging the village was displaying Israeli flag colours.

Other accounts amplified the image, questioning the village's intent and stirring backlash.

But Rmeish mayor Hanna al-Amil dismissed the claims as "absurd", saying the colours hold religious significance, not political meaning.

"The house next to the pond is identified as the former home of [village elder] Karim al-Alam, where some locals believe the Virgin Mary appeared in the 1980s," Amil told Lebanese outlet Almodon.

"Young people painted the railings to decorate the place, seeking blessings from the Virgin Mary, whose traditional attire is white and blue," he added, noting that a statue of the Virgin would soon be installed at the site.

Amil also pointed to the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, whose blue-and-white insignia he said symbolises peace, not aggression.

Some Rmeish residents accused online commentators of trying to incite division, saying the claims were made in bad faith to stir public opinion against the village.

Tensions between Rmeish and nearby Shia-majority villages, which support Hezbollah, have surfaced in the past. As one of the only Christian villages along the Israeli border, Rmeish has long faced accusations of siding with Israel, claims its residents strongly reject.

During last year’s war between Hezbollah and Israel, Rmeish refused to allow Hezbollah fighters to launch rockets from within its boundaries, hoping to avoid retaliatory Israeli strikes. The decision largely spared the town from destruction, unlike neighbouring areas.

The village has also clashed with the Hezbollah-linked environmental NGO Green Without Borders, which had installed unauthorised structures on nearby land. After resistance from residents in late 2022 and early 2023, the NGO agreed to remove the encroachments.

Many social media users leapt to Rmeish’s defence over the latest controversy, mocking the accusations as baseless and inflammatory.

“This house is in the south, in Maroun al-Ras, opposite Bint Jbeil. Its owner is a Shia,” one Lebanese man wrote on X, sharing a photo of a white stone villa with a blue-tiled roof.

"Your ignorance, stupidity, and deep-seated hatred blind you," he added.