As an image of an Israeli soldier apparently hitting a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon went viral, there has been widespread condemnation.
In a statement, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land expressed “profound indignation” and issued an unequivocal condemnation of the reported act, describing it as a serious violation of Christian religious values.
The statement further termed the act as reflecting a “disturbing failure in moral and human formation,” where even basic respect for the sacred and the dignity of others has been undermined.
According to the local municipality, the sculpture is located in the Christian village of Debl in southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel.
BBC reported Israel’s prime minister said he was “stunned and saddened”. Its foreign minister said: “We apologise for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated it viewed the incident “with great severity and emphasises that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops”.
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