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Incident sparks outrage in Christian village
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has launched an investigation after a soldier was photographed smoking and placing a cigarette on the lips of a Virgin Mary statue in the occupied Lebanese village of Debel. The image surfaced days after another soldier was jailed for smashing a Jesus statue with a sledgehammer in the same Christian community.
Military condemns conduct
The IDF described the latest incident as a severe breach of its values. In a statement, it confirmed the photograph was taken weeks ago and said disciplinary action would follow the investigation's findings. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, an IDF spokesperson, emphasized the military's respect for religious freedom and holy sites, stating, "The IDF respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities."
Local and religious leaders react
Father Fadi Felfeli, head of Debel's congregation, told the BBC the act "provoked" residents, particularly after an earlier apology for the Jesus statue incident. "This shows there are individuals within the army who lack ethics and values and are bigoted," he said. While confirming the Virgin Mary statue remained intact, he condemned the behavior as "unethical" and reflective of "extremism and intolerance."
"We call on the Israeli government and the IDF to act and send a clear message that such behaviour is unacceptable, must not happen again, and that the case be handled with the utmost seriousness."
Custodia Terrae Sanctae, Roman Catholic Church representative in the Holy Land
Prior punishment and broader tensions
The soldier who struck the Jesus statue and another who photographed the act were sentenced to 30 days in military prison last month following global backlash. Meanwhile, violence persists in southern Lebanon despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on April 16. Israeli forces continue to occupy parts of the region, with daily airstrikes killing over 120 people in the past week, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
Escalation amid fragile truce
Hezbollah has retaliated with rocket, drone, and mortar attacks on Israeli troops and northern Israel. On Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike targeted Beirut's southern suburbs-the first since the ceasefire-killing Ahmed Ali Balout, a commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force, the IDF claimed. Hezbollah has not confirmed his death.
Since the conflict began on March 2, Lebanon's health ministry reports 2,715 fatalities. Israel has lost 17 soldiers and three civilians in the same period, according to its authorities.
