The Israeli army confirmed this Monday, April 20, that the soldier photographed destroying a statue of Jesus Christ with a hammer in a Christian village in southern Lebanon is an Israeli soldier.
“After initial analysis, it was determined that this photograph shows an Israeli soldier on a mission in southern Lebanon.”wrote the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), on the social network X.
“Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved, in accordance with the conclusions of the investigation,” the army added, ensuring that it was treating the matter with “the utmost rigor.”
The Israeli Prime Minister has also spoken out about this incident. Benjamin Netanyahuwho in a post on the social network X said he was “shocked and sad” as soon as he learned that “an Israel Defense Forces soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon.”
“I condemn the act in the strongest terms. The military authorities are conducting a criminal investigation into the case and will adopt appropriate disciplinary measures”he stressed, while expressing “regret for the incident and for any pain it has caused the faithful in Lebanon and around the world.”
