Netanyahu 'stunned and saddened' after IDF soldier damages statue of Jesus in Lebanon

LAST UPDATE | 17 hrs ago

ISRAEL PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is “stunned and saddened” after an Israeli soldier damaged a statue of Jesus in Lebanon.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that an image circulating on social media showing a soldier in south Lebanon hitting a statue of Jesus Christ is authentic and depicts one of its troops.

The image appears to show an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a statue of a crucified Jesus that had fallen off of a cross.

Arab media reports indicated that the statue was in the Christian village of Debl in south Lebanon, near the border with Israel.

The Debl municipality told AFP that the statue was located in the village, but could not confirm whether it had been damaged.

In a statement on social media, Netanyahy said “all religions flourish in our land and we view members of all faiths as equals in building our society and region”.

“Yesterday, like the overwhelming majority of Israelis, I was stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon,” said Netanyahu.

He said he condemned the act “in the strongest terms”.

He added that military authorities are “conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender”.

Netanyahu also claimed that that “Christian population in Israel thrives unlike elsewhere in the Middle East”.

“We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world,” said Netanyahu.

Advertisement

The IDF meanwhile said it viewed the incident with “great severity”, adding that the “soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops”.

The IDF confirmed that the photograph depicts one of its soldiers operating in southern Lebanon.

It added that the incident is being investigated and is currently being “addressed through the chain of command”.

The IDF said that “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved” but did not go into further detail.

The Israel army said it is working with the community to “restore the statue to its place”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar meanwhile condemned what he called a “shameful and disgraceful” act.

“I am confident that necessary severe measures will be taken against whoever committed this ugly act,” he wrote on X.

“We apologise for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war in early March when Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in support of Iran.

Israel responded with massive strikes across the country and an invasion of the south.

Israeli troops have remained in the area despite a ceasefire between the two countries that entered into force on Friday.

-With additional reporting from © AFP 2026 

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More Support The Journal