Tel Aviv: Israel has admitted that one of its soldiers was involved in the destruction of a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon. The incident is being treated with seriousness and disciplinary action will follow, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday.
This came after an image of a soldier pulling down the statue was circulated on social media, leading to outrage. The military said it had verified that the photograph indeed shows an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon.
“The IDF views the incident with great severity and emphasises that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent wit
h the values expected of its troops,” the statement said, as reported by News18.
Appropriate measures would be taken against those involved, based on the findings of the probe, the military said. The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is being addressed through the chain of command, it added.
The Northern Command would work with the local Christian community to restore the damaged statue to its original location, the IDF said.
Reports said that the incident occurred in Debel, a Maronite Christian village in southern Lebanon, not far from the Israeli border. Residents from nearby Ain Ebel also expressed concern over the alleged act.
Wadie Abunassar, coordinator of the Christian Forum, said he had received the image from multiple sources and urged authorities to act decisively.
“It is impossible to remain silent in the face of such violations,” he said, calling for a thorough verification of the incident and accountability if the act is conclusively established.