The image began circulating on social media on Sunday, sparking outrage. The photograph, apparently taken by an Israeli soldier, shows another soldier using an axe to topple a statue of the crucified Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon, where troops are occupying and destroying infrastructure, including homes and schools, on a daily basis. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli military have condemned the action depicted in the photo after confirming its authenticity, and that it was taken in Lebanon.
The image of Christ on the cross was part of a small shrine in the garden of a family living on the outskirts of Debel, according to their priest, Fadi Falfel. “One of the Israeli soldiers broke the cross and did that horrible thing, this desecration of our sacred symbols,” he said. It is one of the few villages in southern Lebanon where part of the population has remained, following the Israeli army’s expulsion orders that have displaced more than a million people. Reuters geolocated the image there. The mayor of Debel, Aql Naddaf, said he could not confirm exactly what had happened or when, as troops have been occupying the area for weeks.
The photo was initially released by Younis Tirawi, who describes himself as a Palestinian journalist and has a popular profile in which he publishes photos showing war crimes or acts of cruelty disseminated on social media by Israeli soldiers themselves, especially in Gaza.
Indignation
Attacks on mosques by Israeli soldiers or settlers are more frequent than those on churches. But the power of the image, coupled with its status as a Christian symbol, has heightened global outrage and prompted Israeli authorities to issue reactions they rarely make after desecrations of Muslim temples, tombs, or holy books.
On Monday, Netanyahu issued a statement on X saying he “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 added, before predicting “appropriately harsh disciplinary action” against the perpetrator.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also condemned the damage to the statue and apologized to “every Christian whose feelings were hurt.” The army stated that it views the incident with “great seriousness” and is assisting the community in relocating the crucified Jesus.
This is not the first incident of its kind, but it is one of the most publicized. The fact that the soldier allowed himself to be filmed destroying the statue demonstrates the same sense of impunity with which other Israeli soldiers have filmed themselves committing war crimes in Gaza, the West Bank, or Lebanon; religious fanaticism; or ignorance of the impact it would have on millions of Christian believers worldwide.
During the 2024 offensive in the Strip, several Israeli soldiers filmed themselves laughingly imitating a wedding inside the church of Deir Mimas, a Christian village just three kilometers from the border, in a video that also ended up going viral.
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