A branch of the Catholic church expressed deep concern on Monday over reports that Israel was demolishing civilian and religious buildings in parts of southern Lebanon under its control, following allegations that a convent had been bulldozed.
The Council of Melkite Greek Catholic Bishops in Lebanon urged the Lebanese government and the United Nations to protect the property of civilians and religious institutions in southern Lebanon, citing in particular the village of Yaroun where officials said Israeli troops destroyed a Melkite convent earlier this month among other demolitions.
The bishops called the destruction of buildings, after residents of the area had evacuated, a "deep wound in the national and human conscience".
Israel took control of border areas in southern Lebanon in its latest war in the country ahead of a ceasefire on 17 April, claiming to intend to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure.
The Israeli military claims it does not intentionally target religious institutions, but said in a statement on Saturday that while destroying Hezbollah infrastructure in Yaroun , that it had damaged a house without religious signs, and that it had prevented further damage to the building after recognising it was linked to a church.
The Israeli military claimed that the building in Yaroun was part of a compound that Hezbollah militants had used in the past to fire rockets toward Israel, and it released photographs of an intact building at the site.
Adib Ajaka, a Christian community leader in Yaroun, told The Associated Press that the photos posted in the Israel statement were of another building next to the convent that housed a clinic and archbishopric, and that the Israeli military had bulldozed the convent. He handed over a photograph showing rubble next to the clinic building that he said were the remains of the convent.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond on Monday to questions about the convent.
Adib, as well as a municipal official from Yaroun and Gladys Sabbagh, the superior general of the Basilian Salvatorian Sisters who had used the convent, all told The Associated Press that according to news they received, the convent had been bulldozed while residents were evacuated from the area. The municipal official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The French Catholic charity L’Oeuvre d’Orient condemned what it called the "deliberate act of destruction of a place of worship and the systematic destruction of homes in southern Lebanon aimed at preventing the return of civilian populations".
Also Monday, the US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa told reporters that a potential meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington should not be seen as a concession or a loss for Lebanon.
Trump said last month that he would host a meeting between Aoun and Netanyahu although a date has not been set yet. There has been no official confirmation from Lebanon that Aoun will attend such a meeting with Netanyahu.
Aoun has been coming under harsh criticism at home by Hezbollah and its allies who are opposed to direct talks with Israel.
The latest war between Israel and Hezbollah began on 2 March, when Hezbollah fired rockets in response to Washington and Tel Aviv's large-scale assault on Iran.
Israel has since carried out hundreds of airstrikes and launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, capturing dozens of towns and villages along the border.
A 10-day ceasefire declared in Washington went into effect on 17 April. The ceasefire was later extended by three weeks.
The Health Ministry in Lebanon said Monday that the latest Israeli attacks have killed 2,696 and wounded 8,264 .