The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed disciplinary action against soldiers involved in an incident in southern Lebanon in which a statue of Jesus was damaged, an act that triggered widespread condemnation after images circulated online.
According to the military, two soldiers directly involved in the incident will serve 30 days of military detention and will be removed from combat duties following an internal investigation. The soldiers have not been publicly identified.
The IDF said one of the soldiers was also responsible for photographing the incident, which took place in the village of Debel, located in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the army said: “An inquiry into the incident determined that the soldiers’ conduct completely deviated from IDF orders and values,” adding that it expressed “deep regret over the incident.”
The military also confirmed that six additional soldiers who were present but failed to intervene or report the act would face separate disciplinary procedures.
Following the backlash, the IDF said its troops later replaced the damaged statue “in full coordination with the local community.”
The incident sparked strong reactions in Lebanon after the image of the damaged religious statue went viral. Local church leader Father Fadi Flaifel condemned the act, saying: “We totally reject the desecration of the cross, our sacred symbol, and all religious symbols. It goes against the declaration of human rights, and it doesn’t reflect civility.”
He also alleged that similar incidents had occurred in the area in the past.
The IDF stressed that its operations in Lebanon are directed “solely” against Hezbollah and other armed groups, and not against civilians.
The disciplinary action comes amid ongoing tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, despite a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The truce has temporarily halted weeks of fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah, though both sides continue to accuse each other of violations.
Lebanese authorities say the conflict has resulted in more than 2,290 deaths, including children and healthcare workers, and displaced over a million people since the escalation began.
BBC