A social media image has revealed an Israeli soldier striking a crucified Jesus Christ statue in the predominantly Christian town of Debel, southern Lebanon—a desecration that has drawn immediate condemnation from local officials and international religious leaders. The incident occurred after soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported damaging the sculpture during operations in the region.
The IDF confirmed it replaced the damaged statue with coordination from the local community of Debel following the report, stating it “expresses deep regret” over the incident and is working to prevent recurrence. Soldiers directly involved were sentenced to 30 days of military detention, while six additional personnel who witnessed the event but failed to intervene or report it face “clarification discussions” and potential command-level disciplinary action.
Maroun Nassif, deputy head of Debel’s municipality, described the act as “an attack on our sacred beliefs,” emphasizing the statue’s significance to Lebanon’s Christian population. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the incident in the strongest terms, calling it a “grave affront” to religious symbols and stating he was “stunned and saddened” by the desecration.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, issued “unreserved condemnation,” while the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land labeled the act a “grave affront to the Christian faith.” Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia added that Jesus “went to Tyre and Sidon in southern Lebanon but did not go there to kill; he went to multiply bread, to heal, to perform miracles—not to destroy.”
The IDF has launched an investigation into the photo, calling the soldier’s actions “wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops” and committed to assisting local authorities in restoring the statue. The incident follows Israel’s military operations in southern Lebanon since March 2, which have displaced thousands of Lebanese Christians amid rising casualties reported by local officials.