Israel jails two soldiers who vandalized Jesus' figure in Lebanon after outcry

TEL AVIV — The Israeli soldiers who damaged a figure of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon using a sledgehammer and photographed the incident will be removed from combat duty and sentenced to 30 days of military detention, according to the Israeli military. Another six soldiers who were at the scene and failed to intervene or report the incident will be dealt with separately, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said. The incident in the village of Debel widespread condemnation after an image of it was widely shared online this week. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “stunned and saddened” by what happened. In its statement on Tuesday, the IDF said an inquiry into the incident had “determined that the soldiers’ conduct completely deviated from IDF orders and values” and expressed “deep regret over the incident”. It also said IDF troops had replaced the damaged statue “in full co-ordination with the local community” a short while ago. It stressed that its operations in Lebanon were directed “solely” against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah “and other terrorist groups, and not against Lebanese civilians”. On Sunday, a photo emerged on social media of an Israeli soldier wielding what appears to be a hammer against the statue in the predominantly Christian town of Debel. The photo seemingly showed the soldier hitting the head of the figure after it had been removed from the cross. Maroun Nassif, the deputy head of the municipality, told CNN after the incident that it was “an attack on our sacred beliefs.” The IDF opened an investigation into the photo, calling the soldiers’ actions “wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.” On Tuesday, the IDF said they had worked “in full coordination” with the community of Debel to replace the statue. “The IDF expresses deep regret over the incident, and is working to ensure that it does not happen again in the future,” the IDF said. Wadih El Khazen, a former tourism minister in Lebanon and Maronite Christian leader, called for “international action to ensure accountability for all those who commit these crimes.” According to Lebanon’s state-run NNA news, El Khazen said on Monday, “The historical truth about the war in Lebanon is unforgiving, and it places a great responsibility on us to protect civilians, reject all forms of discrimination and violence, and work toward a lasting and just peace.” — Agencies