Israeli Soldiers Punished for Vandalism of Jesus Statue

Israeli soldiers who damaged a statue of Jesus in Lebanon and photographed the incident have been punished with 30 days of confinement and will be removed from combat duty, the Israel Defense Forces announced.

Following an investigation, the soldiers will be discharged from combat service, while the cases of six other soldiers present at the scene who did not intervene will be examined separately.

The incident occurred in the southern Lebanese village of Debel and garnered widespread attention this week after a photograph circulating online showed a soldier striking the head of the fallen statue. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed that he was "shocked and saddened" by the events.

The IDF stated that the soldiers' behavior contradicts the army's commands and values, expressing deep regret over the incident. It was also reported that the soldiers have already replaced the damaged statue in coordination with the local community.

The Israeli side maintains that its actions in Lebanon are directed solely against Hezbollah and terrorist groups, not against civilians. According to local residents, the statue was located on the outskirts of Debel, near a private house. Debel is one of the few villages whose residents have not evacuated during the war.