Suspect located; Netanyahu condemns act, says he's 'stunned'

IDF confirms photo of soldier smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon is genuine, vows action

Military says it views incident with ‘great severity,’ vows it will be handled ‘through the chain of command’ and that IDF will help restore statue; image has circulated widely online

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the authenticity of a photo showing a soldier in southern Lebanon smashing a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer, and said it would take action against those involved.

The statement, issued shortly after midnight on Sunday-Monday, came after the photo circulated widely online. Earlier, as the photo spread on social media, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani posted on X that the military would investigate.

Following an initial review of the photo, the military said that “it was established that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon.”

“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 military said.

The military said Monday afternoon that it had located the soldier depicted in the photo.

The picture was taken in the Christian village of Debel in southern Lebanon. The IDF had operated against Hezbollah in the area surrounding the community.

The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is being handled “through the chain of command,” the IDF said in its statement, adding that “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings.”

The Northern Command will also assist the Christian community in restoring the statue to its place, the military added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “stunned and saddened” by the incident and condemned it “in the strongest terms,” stressing that Israel “cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect between Jews and worshippers of all faiths.”

“Israel is the only country in the region that the Christian population and standard of living is growing,” he wrote in a post on X. “Israel is the only place in the Middle East that adheres to freedom of worship for all. We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.”

During his meeting with Argentinian President Javier Milei, President Isaac Herzog offered a forceful repudiation of the incident, according to the President’s Residence.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also condemned the “shameful action” and apologized for the incident.

“I’m confident that the necessary strict measures will be taken against whoever carried out this ugly act,” he said on X. “This shameful action is completely contrary to our values. Israel is a country that respects the different religions and their sacred symbols, and upholds tolerance and respect among faiths. We apologize for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt,” he added.

The photo, which circulated days into a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group backed by Iran, is the latest instance in which footage has been published of Israeli soldiers destroying or looting property.

It also comes following recent tensions between the Israeli government and Christian leaders in Jerusalem.

Hezbollah began attacking Israel on March 2, shortly after the beginning of the US-Israeli war with the Islamic Republic. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and by expanding its troops’ presence deeper into Lebanon.

The conflict entered a 10-day ceasefire on Friday. IDF troops are still operating throughout southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah explosives have killed and wounded Israeli forces in multiple incidents since then.

Amid the war with Iran, which entered its own truce earlier this month, tensions have flared between Israeli authorities and Christian officials in Jerusalem.

In March, police stopped Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Father Francesco Ielpo, custos of the Holy Land, who are the top Catholic figures in the region, from praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the Palm Sunday holiday — an incident which blew up into an international furor.

The police said they were following security restrictions put in place during the war, in which Iranian missile fire struck Jerusalem’s Old City. But following the uproar, arrangements were made for Easter services to be held at the Christian holy site.

In addition, there have been several publicized instances of looting and destruction of property by Israeli troops in recent years, particularly among those operating in the Gaza Strip after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.

The IDF’s then-top lawyer, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, issued a warning in 2024 to commanders against illegal actions carried out by troops in the Gaza Strip, warning of “inappropriate statements that encourage unacceptable phenomena; unjustified use of force, including against detainees; looting, which includes the use or removal of private property for non-operational purposes; and destruction of civilian property contrary to protocols.”

Formal complaints have been filed overseas against traveling IDF soldiers by the anti-Israel Hind Rajab Foundation, accusing them of war crimes allegedly committed in the Gaza Strip. The group, which has caused alarm in Israel, uses social media posts by Israeli soldiers, officers, and reservists to locate them in an attempt to have them arrested for alleged war crimes when they travel abroad.

Lazar Berman contributed to this story.