Israel has confirmed the authenticity of an image showing one of its soldiers striking the face of a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in Lebanon, sparking outrage and promises of an investigation.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that an image posted on the platform on April 19 depicted an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a toppled statue of Christ crucified in a Christian village near the Israeli border. Israel stated it views the incident with “great severity,” emphasizing that the behavior contradicts its values and standards. Officials confirmed the matter is under investigation and that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against the soldier, while Israeli authorities indicated they may assist in repairing or restoring the damaged statue.
The incident has drawn condemnation from Christians globally, particularly amid Israel’s recent ground operations in southern Lebanon, which have cleared entire villages up to the Litani River as part of efforts to establish a buffer zone against Hezbollah attacks. In a statement, Netanyahu said: “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. I condemn the act in the strongest terms. Military authorities are conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender. We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.”
The event follows other tensions between Israel and Christians, including the prohibition of the Roman Catholic Latin Patriarch from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Palm Sunday earlier this month. Lebanon, which was majority Christian until the late 20th century, still has one of the largest Christian populations in the Middle East, comprising about 25 percent of its total population and operating under a sectarian National Pact that dictates leadership roles by religion.
