Israel has punished eight soldiers after they smashed a Jesus statue in a village in Lebanon, sparking dissatisfaction from various groups.
On 21 Apr 2026 GMT+7, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed that the Israeli soldier who used a sledgehammer to smash the Jesus statue in Lebanon, along with another soldier who photographed the incident, would be punished with 30 days of military detention.
Additionally, the IDF stated that these two unnamed soldiers would be "removed from combat duty" after the investigation concludes. Six other soldiers present who neither intervened nor reported the incident would face separate disciplinary action.
The incident occurred in the village of Debel in southern Lebanon and drew widespread condemnation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "shocked and saddened" by what happened and any pain this caused believers in Lebanon and worldwide.
In a statement on Tuesday, the IDF said its investigation "found the soldiers’ behavior to be completely contrary to IDF orders and values," and expressed deepest regret over the incident.
The statement also said the IDF had replaced the damaged statue with a new one, "in full coordination with the local community."
The IDF stressed that its operations in Lebanon target only Hezbollah, supported by Iran, and other terrorist groups, and do not target Lebanese civilians.
Local residents said the statue was mounted on a cross in front of a family's home at the edge of Debel village, one of the few villages where people still live amid the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Among those condemning the incident was Mike Huckabee, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, representing Israel's key ally. On Monday, he called for "swift, severe, and public punishment" for this outrage.
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Source:bbc