Israeli soldier seen striking Jesus statue in Lebanon, sparking condemnation

Middle East ConflictIsraeli soldier seen striking Jesus statue in Lebanon, sparking condemnationPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “stunned and saddened” by the photo of an IDF soldier taking what appeared to be an axe or sledgehammer to the face of the statue.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00An IDF soldier damaging a Jesus statue in southern Lebanon.via XShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 20, 2026, 7:26 AM EDT / Updated April 20, 2026, 7:35 AM EDTBy Yuliya TalmazanIsrael's leaders and military have condemned an Israeli soldier pictured damaging a statue of Jesus Christ.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.A photo emerged over the weekend showing a soldier in southern Lebanon taking what appeared to be an axe or sledgehammer to the face of the statue, sparking outrage.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he was “stunned and saddened” by the photo.“I condemn the act in the strongest terms,” Netanyahu said in a post on X. “We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world,” he added. FORSUBSCRIBERS00:0000:00Fragile ceasefire holds on the Israel-Lebanon border02:10His comments came after the Israeli military confirmed late Sunday that the photo, showing a statue of Jesus turned upside down and off its cross, was authentic.“The IDF views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops,” the IDF said in a statement, re-sharing a post by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi that had circulated widely on social media. The IDF said the incident is being further investigated, and appropriate measures will be taken against those involved. The Israeli military was also working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place, the statement said. “The IDF is operating to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure establish...