Israeli Soldiers Punished for Lebanon Jesus Statue Vandalism in Debel, November 2024

Two Israeli soldiers have received 30 days of military detention and been removed from combat duty after one was filmed striking a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in Debel, southern Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated the conduct "completely deviated from IDF orders and values."

Another six soldiers present at the scene, who failed to intervene or report the incident, will face separate disciplinary action. The IDF expressed "deep regret" and claimed to have replaced the damaged statue "in full co-ordination with the local community."

The incident, which prompted widespread condemnation after an image circulated online, occurred amidst Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon. This campaign, initiated on 2 March, followed six weeks of fighting with Hezbollah, which began launching rockets in support of Iran after a US-Israeli assault on Tehran on 28 February. Lebanese authorities report over a million people displaced and more than 2,290 killed, including 177 children, by Israeli forces. Israeli officials state 13 Israeli soldiers and two civilians have died from Hezbollah attacks in the same period.

Father Fadi Flaifel, head of Debel’s congregation, condemned the desecration, stating it violated human rights and civility. He also claimed similar incidents had occurred previously. The IDF maintains its operations target "Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, and not against Lebanese civilians."