JERUSALEM: The Israeli military mentioned on Monday (Apr 20) that it had decided a picture circulating on social media that reveals a soldier in south Lebanon hitting a statue of Jesus Christ is genuine and depicts considered one of its troops.
The picture seems to indicate an Israeli soldier utilizing a sledgehammer to strike the pinnacle of a statue of a crucified Jesus that had fallen off a cross.
Arab media studies indicated that the statue was within the Christian village of Debl in south Lebanon, close to the border with Israel.
The Debl municipality informed AFP that the statue was positioned within the village, however couldn’t affirm whether or not it had been broken.
The Israel military mentioned it seen the incident with “nice severity”, including that the “soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values anticipated of its troops”, in a put up to its official X account on Monday.
“Following the completion of an preliminary examination concerning {a photograph} printed earlier at this time of an IDF soldier harming a Christian image, it was decided that the {photograph} depicts an IDF soldier working in southern Lebanon,” it mentioned within the put up.
The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is at the moment being “addressed via the chain of command”, the army added.
It mentioned that “applicable measures shall be taken in opposition to these concerned” however didn’t go into additional element.
The Israel military mentioned that it’s working with the neighborhood to “restore the statue to its place”.
Israeli Overseas Minister Gideon Saar condemned what he known as a “shameful and disgraceful” act.
“I’m assured that needed extreme measures shall be taken in opposition to whoever dedicated this ugly act,” he wrote on X.
“We apologise for this incident and to each Christian whose emotions had been damage.”
Lebanon was drawn into the Center East battle in early March when Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets in the direction of Israel in assist of Iran.
Israel responded with large strikes throughout the nation and an invasion of the south.
Israeli troops have remained in the area regardless of a ceasefire between the 2 nations that entered into power on Friday.
