Israeli Soldier Seen Striking Jesus Statue In Lebanon, Sparking Condemnation

Israel's leaders and subject person condemned an Israeli worker pictured damaging a statue of Jesus Christ.

A photograph emerged complete nan play showing a worker successful southern Lebanon taking what appeared to beryllium an axe aliases sledgehammer to nan look of nan statue, sparking outrage.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he was “stunned and saddened” by nan photo.

“I condemn nan enactment successful nan strongest terms,” Netanyahu said successful a station connected X. “We definitive regret for nan incident and for immoderate wounded this has caused to believers successful Lebanon and astir nan world,” he added.

His comments came aft nan Israeli subject confirmed precocious Sunday that nan photo, showing a statue of Jesus turned upside down and disconnected its cross, was authentic.

“The IDF views nan incident pinch awesome severity and emphasizes that nan soldier’s behaviour is wholly inconsistent pinch nan values expected of its troops,” nan IDF said successful a statement, re-sharing a station by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi that had circulated wide connected societal media.

The IDF said nan incident is being further investigated, and due measures will beryllium taken against those involved. The Israeli subject was besides moving to assistance nan organization successful restoring nan statue to its place, nan connection said.

“The IDF is operating to dismantle nan violent infrastructure established by Hezbollah successful confederate Lebanon, and has nary volition of harming civilian infrastructure, including belief buildings aliases belief symbols,” nan connection added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called nan photograph “grave and disgraceful,” saying successful a connection connected X that he commended nan IDF for its condemnation.

“I’m assured that nan basal strict measures will beryllium taken against whoever carried retired this disfigured act,” Saar said.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said successful a station connected X that "swift, severe, & nationalist consequences are needed" for what he called an "outrageous act."

The incident comes amid a ten-day U.S.-brokered ceasefire betwixt Israel and Lebanon. Israel invaded confederate Lebanon and has attacked nan state from nan aerial aft strikes by nan country’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militants successful retaliation for nan U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran.

The Israeli cognition has displaced more than a cardinal people, and killed astir 2,300, according to Lebanese officials.