Photo Credit; Getty Images
Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the nation's military have condemned a soldier who was photographed damaging a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon. The image, which emerged over the weekend, shows the soldier striking the face of the statue with an axe or sledgehammer. Netanyahu stated on Monday that he was "stunned and saddened" by the incident, condemning the act "in the strongest terms" and expressing regret for the pain caused to believers worldwide.
His comments came after the Israeli military confirmed late Sunday that the photo, showing a statue of Jesus turned upside down and off its cross, was authentic.
“The IDF 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 said in a statement, resharing a post by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi that had circulated widely on social media.
The IDF said the incident is being further investigated, and appropriate measures will be taken against those involved. The Israeli military was also working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place, the statement said.
“The IDF is operating to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols,” the statement added.
The incident comes amid a 10-day U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Israel invaded southern Lebanon and has attacked the country from the air
after strikes by the country’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The Israeli operation has displaced more than 1 million people, and killed nearly 2,300, according to Lebanese officials.
