Israeli Soldier Desecrates Virgin Mary Statue in Lebanon

An Israeli soldier’s desecration of a Virgin Mary statue successful Debel, confederate Lebanon, has triggered renewed scrutiny aft a abstracted Jesus statue incidental had already drawn outrage. Credit: X screenshot

Israel’s subject has launched an probe aft a photograph circulated online showing an Israeli worker desecrating a statue of the Virgin Mary successful confederate Lebanon. The representation showed the worker placing a cigaret into the rima of the statue portion smoking different cigaret himself.

According to The Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said connected Wednesday that it viewed the incidental “gravely” and pledged to instrumentality enactment against the worker involved. An archetypal enquiry recovered that the photograph was taken respective weeks agone successful Debel, a Christian-majority colony successful confederate Lebanon, though it lone began circulating online connected Wednesday.

Debel has been affected by the ongoing struggle betwixt Israel and Hezbollah, though immoderate residents person remained successful the colony contempt the fighting. The photograph has drawn backlash due to the fact that of the spiritual symbolism of the Virgin Mary statue and due to the fact that it comes amid broader scrutiny implicit the behaviour of Israeli troops successful confederate Lebanon.

Outrage is increasing implicit a photograph of an Israeli worker pushing a cigaret into the rima of a statue of the Virgin Mary successful confederate Lebanon.

Israeli service officials accidental the ‘matter is nether examination.’ pic.twitter.com/fYVdHE9PBd

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 7, 2026

Separate Jesus statue incidental drew outrage earlier Virgin mary statue desecration by state soldier

The Virgin Mary incidental follows different representation from Debel that showed an Israeli worker striking a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer.

Local residents identified the tract arsenic a crucifix located extracurricular a household home. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that the representation was genuine, saying it viewed the incidental “with large severity” and that the soldier’s behaviour was “wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.”

The subject said “appropriate measures” would beryllium taken against those progressive and added that it was moving with the section Christian assemblage to “restore the statue to its place.”

Israeli and U.S. Officials Condemned Previous Incident

The representation of the Jesus statue prompted condemnation from Israeli and U.S. officials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said helium was “stunned and saddened,” portion Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said: “We apologise for this incidental and to each Christian whose feelings were hurt.”

Netanyahu aboriginal posted successful English that “the Christian colonisation successful Israel thrives dissimilar elsewhere successful the Middle East.” He added that Israel is “the lone state successful the portion that the Christian colonisation and modular of surviving is growing” and “the lone spot successful the Middle East that adheres to state of worship for all.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, wrote connected X that “swift, severe, & nationalist consequences are needed.” Former congressman Matt Gaetz reposted the representation with the caption “Horrific,” portion erstwhile congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote: “‘Our top ally’ that takes billions of our taxation dollars and weapons each year.”