Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly denounced the actions of an Israeli soldier who was caught on camera destroying a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in Lebanon. He vowed that the soldier would face “appropriately harsh disciplinary action.”

The disturbing incident was captured in an image showing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier striking a sculpture of Jesus on the cross in the Christian village of Debel, located in southern Lebanon. This act occurred amidst Israel’s military operations against the Iranian-backed group, Hezbollah.

According to Fadi Falfel, a priest in Debel, the damaged cross was part of a small shrine situated in a family garden at the village’s outskirts.

“An Israeli soldier broke the cross and committed this terrible act, desecrating our sacred symbols,” Falfel stated.

Netanyahu expressed that the soldier’s behavior was contrary to Jewish values and assured that the individual would be disciplined.

“I was both shocked and saddened upon learning that an IDF soldier had vandalized a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon. I condemn this act in the strongest possible terms,” he shared on X.

“Military authorities are conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender,” he continued.

“We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.”

Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said in a statement that “Swift, severe, & public consequences are needed.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the soldier’s actions were disgraceful and shameful. 

“We apologize for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt,” Saar said on X.

The IDF said it “views the incident with great severity and emphasises that ⁠the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.

“The IDF is working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place,” the Israeli military said.

Debel has essentially been under Israeli occupation since Israel invaded southern Lebanon last month after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in support of Iran.

Israel and Lebanon on Thursday agreed to a US-brokered cease-fire intended to halt fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

“We have every kind of crisis,” Father Falfel said.

“We thought the ceasefire would bring us some relief but we’re still ⁠surrounded, unable to travel to and from the town. There are some houses on the edge of town that we’re barred from accessing.”

With Post Wires