Netanyahu condemns damage to crucifix
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and the military have condemned the desecration of a crucifix by an Israeli soldier in southern Lebanon. A photo that emerged online over the weekend shows a soldier hitting a crucifix with the blunt side of an axe. Netanyahu writes on Xhe was stunned by the damage to the Christian symbol. The act contradicts Jewish values of tolerance and will be punished. Saar called the behavior disgraceful and apologized. The military said the incident was being investigated. The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, calls for harsh and public consequences for X.
The Reuters news agency verified the location of the photo as Debel. The Christian village is one of the few places in southern Lebanon from which residents did not flee during the Israeli offensive against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia. The crucifix was part of a small shrine in a family’s garden on the outskirts of the village, according to priest Fadi Falfel. An Israeli soldier broke it and committed this terrible desecration of sacred symbols. Debel is one of dozens of villages in southern Lebanon currently under Israeli occupation.
The residents had hoped that the ceasefire would bring relief, said Falfel. However, they are still included. They are denied access to some houses on the outskirts of town. The Israeli military, for its part, said it was working with aid organizations to provide people in Debel and other villages with essentials.
