Two Israeli soldiers who destroyed a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon have been jailed and removed from combat duty.
The Israeli military sentenced the soldier to 30 days in prison after the photo, taken in the Christian village of Debel, went viral and sparked international outrage.
After an investigation by the Israel Defense Forces, it was found that six other soldiers who witnessed the incident did not stop or report it.
The other soldiers have been asked to attend ‘a clarifying discussion to be held later, after which further action at the command level will be determined’.
The IDF said in a statement: ‘The investigation determined that the soldier’s actions completely deviated from the orders and values of the IDF.
‘The IDF expressed deep regret over the incident and emphasized that its operations in Lebanon were aimed solely against the terrorist organization Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, and not against Lebanese civilians.’
The IDF claims to have replaced the statue.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the photo was genuine, and wrote on the X: ‘I strongly condemn the act. We express regret for the incident, and for any harm caused to the faithful in Lebanon and around the world.’
But apologies from Israeli officials fell on deaf ears, as many stated that in the past, the IDF had shelled other religious sites.
In 2024, an airstrike killed eight people sheltering inside the St George Melkite Catholic Church in Derdghaya, Lebanon.
The strike was rebuked by Pope Francis, who called for a ceasefire in Lebanon. The IDF said the attack targeted militants operating nearby.
Last summer, Gaza’s only Catholic church – a refuge for many Christians during Israel’s war on Palestinians – was bombed. Two people were killed and several people, including the parish priest, were injured.
Historic diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon will resume Thursday in Washington, an Israeli, Lebanese and US official said.
The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors met last week for the first direct diplomatic talks in decades.
Israel says the talks aim to disarm Hezbollah and reach a peace deal with Lebanon.
A 10-day ceasefire began on Friday in Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants came two days after the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran to start the war.
Fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 2,290 people and displaced more than a million.
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