Netanyahu Says Israeli Soldier Who Struck Jesus Statue with a Hammer Will Face Severe Discipline

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[Financial News] Tensions are spreading after a photo surfaced showing an Israeli soldier operating in southern Lebanon striking the head of a Jesus statue with a hammer. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also stepped in, saying the soldier will be "severely disciplined" in an effort to calm the backlash.
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The image, which spread rapidly after being posted on the 19th local time by Younis Tirawi and other Palestinian independent journalists active in Lebanon, shows an Israeli soldier using a large hammer to strike the head of a Jesus statue that had been detached from a cross and fallen to the ground.
The IDF said the photo circulating on the social networking service (SNS) had been confirmed as authentic. "We view this incident seriously. This behavior is completely inconsistent with the values of the IDF," it said in an official statement.
It added that the Northern Command is investigating the incident and handling it through the chain of command, and that appropriate action will be taken against those involved. The military also said it is working with the local community to restore the statue.
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Israel's leadership also moved quickly to prevent the incident from escalating further.
On X, formerly Twitter, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "When I heard that an Israeli soldier had damaged a Catholic holy object, I, like the overwhelming majority of Israelis, was deeply shocked and saddened."
He stressed that "Israel, as a Jewish state, values and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect" and that it "regards members of all religions as equal partners in building society and communities."
He added, "We condemn this act in the strongest possible terms." He said the military is now conducting a criminal investigation and that the perpetrator will face severe punishment commensurate with the offense.
Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, also issued a formal apology. Sa'ar described the destruction of a Christian holy object by an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon as "a very serious and disgraceful incident."
He said he was confident that the person responsible for the "ugly act" would be dealt with severely. "Israel is a country that respects different religions and their holy objects, and it defends tolerance and respect between faiths. I apologize for this incident and extend my sympathy to all Christians who may have been hurt by it," he said.
Meanwhile, according to the Religious Freedom Data Center (RFDC), there were 181 reported cases last year of spitting at Christian clergy and others, and 60 cases of direct violence, including tear gas attacks, physical assaults and stone-throwing. This year, 33 similar incidents had already been reported near the Old City of Jerusalem through March.
There were also 52 reported cases of vandalism against churches and Christian cemeteries. In March this year, a vehicle arson attack in Taybeh, a prominent Christian village in the West Bank, was also believed to have been carried out by Israeli settlers.
bng@fnnews.com Kim Hee-sun Reporter