An image circulating online showing an Israeli soldier apparently striking a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon has triggered widespread outrage and diplomatic reactions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “stunned and saddened” by the incident.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also responded, stating: “We apologise for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”
According to residents, the statue was mounted on a crucifix outside a family home on the outskirts of Debel, one of the few villages where some civilians have remained amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hezbollah.
Father Fadi Flaifel, head of Debel’s congregation, condemned the act, saying: “We totally reject the desecration of the cross, our sacred symbol, and all religious symbols.
“It goes against the declaration of human rights, and it doesn’t reflect civility.”
He added that similar incidents had reportedly occurred before.
The Israeli military confirmed the authenticity of the image shared on social media and said it was treating the matter seriously, adding that the behaviour “is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.”
It also said “appropriate measures” would be taken and that efforts were underway to work with the Christian community to “restore the statue to its place.”
Thousands of Israeli troops remain deployed across large parts of southern Lebanon following a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on Friday, pausing six weeks of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. However, both sides continue to accuse each other of violations.
The incident sparked further reactions abroad. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on X that “swift, severe, & public consequences are needed.”
Several US political figures also weighed in. Former congressman Matt Gaetz described the image as “Horrific,” while former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote, “‘Our greatest ally’ that takes billions of our tax dollars and weapons every year.”
Public opinion in the United States appears to be shifting. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 60% of US adults now view Israel unfavourably, up from 53% the previous year.
Last month, tensions also rose after Israeli police blocked the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for a private Palm Sunday Mass, citing security concerns during the Iran war.
Huckabee called that incident an “unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world,” adding that the decision was “difficult to understand or justify.”
A 2025 report by the Rossing Center in Jerusalem has also pointed to what it described as a “recent surge in overt animosity towards Christianity,” linking it to growing polarisation and ultra-nationalist political trends.
In response to the latest controversy, Netanyahu wrote in English that “the Christian population in Israel thrives unlike elsewhere in the Middle East.”
He added: “Israel is the only country in the region that the Christian population and standard of living is growing. Israel is the only place in the Middle East that adheres to freedom of worship for all.”
Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel in solidarity with Iran two days after Israel and the US launched strikes on Tehran at the end of February.
Israel responded with a military campaign beginning 2 March, which Lebanese authorities say has killed more than 2,290 people, including 177 children and 100 healthcare workers, and displaced over a million people. Israeli officials say 13 soldiers and two civilians have been killed by Hezbollah attacks during the same period.
