Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in Lebanon — promising “appropriately harsh disciplinary action.”
A shocking image shows the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier bashing a fallen sculpture of Jesus on the cross in a Christian village in the southern Lebanon village of Debel, as the country launched a military campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
The cross was part of a small shrine in a family garden on the edge of the village, according to Fadi Falfel, a priest in Debel.
“One of the Israeli soldiers broke the cross and did this horrible thing, this desecration of our holy symbols,” he said.
Netanayhu said that the soldier’s actions went against Jewish values — and promised the soldier would be punished.
“I was stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon. I condemn the act in the strongest terms,” he posted on X.
“Military authorities are conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender,” he continued.
“We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.”
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said in a statement that “Swift, severe, & public consequences are needed.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the soldier’s actions were disgraceful and shameful.
“We apologize for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt,” Saar said on X.
The IDF said it “views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.
“The IDF is working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place,” the Israeli military said.
Debel has essentially been under Israeli occupation since Israel invaded southern Lebanon last month after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in support of Iran.
Israel and Lebanon on Thursday agreed to a US-brokered cease-fire intended to halt fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
“We have every kind of crisis,” Father Falfel said.
“We thought the ceasefire would bring us some relief but we’re still surrounded, unable to travel to and from the town. There are some houses on the edge of town that we’re barred from accessing.”
With Post Wires
