{"id":6658,"date":"2026-04-20T13:04:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T13:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.maryknollsociety.org\/magazine\/?p=6658"},"modified":"2026-04-29T13:10:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T13:10:45","slug":"israeli-army-to-investigate-soldier-for-vandalizing-jesus-statue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.maryknollsociety.org\/magazine\/israeli-army-to-investigate-soldier-for-vandalizing-jesus-statue\/","title":{"rendered":"Israeli Army to Investigate Soldier for Vandalizing Jesus Statue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Junno Arocho Esteves, OSV News<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(OSV News) \u2014 Catholic leaders in the Holy Land expressed their \u201cunreserved condemnation\u201d after a picture of an Israeli soldier striking the head of a statue of Jesus in Debel, a Christian village in southern Lebanon, went viral on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement signed by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa<\/a>, issued April 20, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land expressed its \u201cprofound indignation and unreserved condemnation of the desecration of a representation of Jesus Crucified by an Israeli soldier in a Lebanese village.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis act constitutes a grave affront to the Christian faith and adds to other reported incidents of desecration<\/a> of Christian symbols by IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon.\u201d It also reveals \u201ca disturbing failure in moral and human formation, wherein even the most elementary reverence for the sacred and for the dignity of others has been gravely compromised.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israeli authorities condemned the actions of an Israeli soldier who desecrated the statue of Jesus in a Lebanese village to which Israel denied humanitarian access for weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Israel Defense Force, or IDF, said it was investigating the destruction of a statue of Jesus after a photo published online showed an Israeli soldier desecrating the image in southern Lebanon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement published on April 19, the IDF said an initial examination confirmed the photo\u2019s authenticity, stating that it \u201cviews the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier\u2019s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being addressed through the chain of command. Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings,\u201d the IDF said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The photo, which was posted to X by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi<\/a>, showed an Israeli soldier striking the head of a statue of Jesus crucified with a sledgehammer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outcry after statue destroyed in Debel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a subsequent post, Tirawi identified the incident location as Debel, a village roughly 54 miles south of Beirut. A Facebook page from Debel shared by the journalist posted a picture of the statue before its destruction, along with the words: \u201cFather, forgive them, for they know not what they do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Assembly calls for immediate and decisive disciplinary action, a credible process of accountability, and clear assurances that such conduct will neither be tolerated nor repeated,\u201d the Catholic leaders of the Holy Land said in their April 20 statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debel is a Christian village to which Pope Leo sent a message<\/a> of closeness April 7, citing the \u201cdramatic circumstances\u201d the people of the village \u201care experiencing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican\u2019s secretary of state, and published in French, the message said the pope \u201cextends his message of consolation and compassion to all Christians in South Lebanon and to all those suffering the consequences of the war.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday, we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord,\u201d Pope Leo said. \u201cMay you, amidst feelings of sorrow, anguish, and mourning, experience a deeper joy in your hearts today: Jesus has gloriously triumphed over death. It is a joy that comes from heaven and that nothing can take from you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catholic Near East Welfare Association-Pontifical Mission, or CNEWA, cares for 430 Maronite Catholic<\/a> families in Debel, 425 Christian families in the village of Ain Ebel, and 1,400 Maronite Catholic families in Rmeich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aid convoys the agency tried to send both before and after Easter did not receive permission for safe passage and were scheduled to attempt passage in the week following Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, and OSV News is awaiting confirmation on whether they were able to pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Netanyahu condemns the act of vandalism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reuters news agency confirmed that the cross smashed by an Israeli soldier was part of a small shrine in the garden of a family living on the edge of the village, said Father Fadi Falfel, a priest in Debel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the Israeli soldiers broke the cross and did this horrible thing, this desecration of our holy symbols,\u201d he told Reuters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> said in an April 20 X post: \u201cI condemn the act in the strongest terms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIsrael cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect between Jews and worshippers of all faiths,\u201d the Israeli prime minister said, adding that \u201clike the overwhelming majority of Israelis,\u201d he was \u201cstunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the IDF \u201cwill take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world,\u201d Netanyahu said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee took to X to say, \u201cSwift, severe, & public consequences are needed\u201d to address the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Netanyahu said on X that \u201cthe Christian population in Israel thrives unlike elsewhere in the Middle East<\/a>\u201d and that \u201cIsrael is the only place in the Middle East that adheres to freedom of worship for all,\u201d religious freedom organizations cite a long list of past acts against Christian symbols and attacks on Christians in Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Religious Freedom Data Center<\/a>, a Jerusalem-based group that documents incidents affecting religious freedom, particularly against Christians, an estimated 181 incidents of \u201charassment targeting Christians, Christian symbols, and Christian institutions\u201d were committed in Israel in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group also reported an additional 44 incidents between January and March 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israeli officials announce \u201cstrict measures\u201d\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The outrage online prompted an initial response from IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, who said that the actions of the soldier \u201cdo not align with the IDF\u2019s values and the behavior expected of IDF soldiers\u201d should the image be proven real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the IDF\u2019s confirmation of the photo\u2019s authenticity, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar<\/a> called the soldier\u2019s desecration \u201cgrave and disgraceful\u201d and apologized \u201cto every Christian whose feelings were hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commending the IDF for its investigation, Sa\u2019ar said via X he was \u201cconfident that the necessary strict measures will be taken against whoever carried out this ugly act.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antonio Tajani, Italy\u2019s foreign minister, welcomed Sa\u2019ar\u2019s statement on \u201cthe serious act committed by an IDF soldier.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tajani said the destruction of the statue was a \u201cviolent act of aggression against Christians, who in the Middle East represent an instrument of peace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is an unacceptable episode that we hope will never be repeated,\u201d Tajani wrote on X. \u201cProfaning the symbols of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is not a demonstration of strength but only of weakness, contrary to all principles in favor of freedom<\/a> and interreligious dialogue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catholic leaders urge peace after desecration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While there has been no official statement from the Catholic leaders in Lebanon, Wadie Abunassar, coordinator of the Holy Land<\/a> Christian Forum, said in an interview with Israeli news website Ynet that the soldier\u2019s actions were \u201ctruly revolting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI prayed it wasn\u2019t real. The aggression in the image and what emerges from the footage is very severe and disturbing,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen something that is in the depths of your soul is harmed, you cannot remain indifferent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land said in its statement that \u201ceven in the face of such offense, the Cross remains unassailable in its meaning \u2026 a source of dignity, hope, and redemption, and as a summons to overcome violence through sacrificial love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The assembly renewed a call \u201cto bring to an end the war<\/a> that has tormented this region for far too long and to embrace a path where peace is witnessed in restraint, dialogue, responsibility, and reverence for the sacred and for every human life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OSV News reached out for comment to Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, and is awaiting answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Featured Image: An Israeli soldier is seen destroying a statue of Jesus in Debel, Lebanon, April 19, 2026. The Israel Defense Force on April 19 confirmed the authenticity of the photo, which was posted on X by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi. (OSV News\/x.com via Reuters)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An Israeli soldier\u2019s alleged vandalism of a Christ image in Lebanon sparks condemnation and calls for accountability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":6659,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_eb_data_table":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1053],"tags":[1287,1383,2697,2696,2699,531,2695,1694,2083,1417,2414,1319,2698],"class_list":["post-6658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-cardinal-pierbattista-pizzaballa","tag-catholic-near-east-welfare-association-pontifical-mission","tag-debel","tag-desecration-of-statue","tag-father-fadi-falfel","tag-holy-land","tag-israel-defense-forces","tag-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu","tag-junno-arocho-esteves","tag-lebanon","tag-middle-east","tag-religious-freedom","tag-younis-tirawi"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIsraeli Army to Investigate Soldier for Vandalizing Jesus Statue - 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