Israeli army investigates soldier over desecration of Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon
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Israel's military has opened an investigation after a photo surfaced online showing a soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in southern Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the incident as "grave" and vowed disciplinary action, according to The Times of Israel. An initial probe confirmed the image was taken weeks ago in the Christian-majority village of Debel but only shared publicly on Wednesday.
The soldier is pictured smoking while inserting the cigarette into the statue's mouth. This follows a pattern of alleged desecrations by Israeli troops in the area, including last month's vandalism of a Jesus statue in the same village using a sledgehammer. Lebanese reports also accuse forces of bulldozing solar panels essential for Debel's water supply, alongside destroying homes, roads and olive groves.
The episodes coincide with intensified Israeli operations in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah amid ongoing occupation of southern areas and village demolitions. Lebanese officials fear the destruction will leave displaced residents without homes to return to.
Broader concerns persist over Israel's treatment of Christians in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Religious groups report rising harassment, including assaults and spitting by ultra-Orthodox Jews against pilgrims and clergy. Last month, a French nun was shoved to the ground and kicked near Jerusalem's Old City, prompting an arrest.
Israeli leaders have condemned high-profile cases, such as the Debel Jesus statue incident, leading to 30-day jail terms for the two soldiers involved. Yet military probes rarely fault troops: no Israeli soldier has faced charges for killing a Palestinian in the past decade, despite over 72,000 deaths in Gaza—mostly women and children—and thousands more elsewhere, including Al Jazeera's Christian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022.
In Gaza, Israeli forces have razed over 800 mosques, including the 1,400-year-old Great Omari Mosque, and struck churches like the ancient Saint Porphyrius.