The image shared on social media on Sunday shows an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus Christ in a Christian village in south Lebanon [X/Al Jazeera Arabic]
An image of an Israeli soldier vandalising a statue of Jesus Christ with a hammer in a village in south Lebanon has sparked outrage, as a fragile 10-day ceasefire with Israel is currently in place.
The incident appeared to show the soldier using a sledgehammer to smash the head of a Jesus Christ statue in the Christian village of Debl, Bint Jbeil district, without specifying the circumstances or the exact time of the incident.
The Debl local municipality told AFP that the statue is located in the village, but officials could not say whether it had been damaged.
Following initial doubts about the authenticity of the image, the Israeli army admitted its soldiers were responsible for the incident following an official investigation, with Israel’s Foreign Ministry offering “an apology” for the act.
The incident triggered a wave of anger on social media from activists and politicians alike, after Palestinian activist and journalist Younes Tirawi posted the image on X on Sunday, after spotting it on Israeli soldiers’ social media accounts who were participating in ground operations in Lebanon.
Social media users said the act is an example of the many atrocities and violent incidents Israel carries out – and even documents – in its assault in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon. They also pointed out that the incident is “ironic” as the US and Israel often speak of “defending Judeo-Christian values” as a justification for financially and militarily supporting Israel.
Following this, an Israeli military spokesperson said that an Israeli soldier operating in Lebanon was identified in the image.
The military also claimed that the act “is wholly inconsistent with the values expected” of its troops – despite numerous incidents in the past of Israeli soldiers desecrating Muslim and Christian religious objects and places of worship over the years.
The Israeli army added that the incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being “addressed through the chain of command”.
The army stated that “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved,” but did not provide further details.
It said it is working with the community to “restore the statue to its place”.
The incident also prompted an apology from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who called it a “shameful and disgraceful” act and said he was “confident that the necessary strict measures will be taken against” the soldier.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war in early March when the Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in response to the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the assault on Iran.
Israel has killed over 2,000 people in Lebanon since, and attacks have displaced over 1.2 million people.
Israeli troops have remained in the south despite a ceasefire between the two countries that began on Friday.
