Following the dissemination of images of an Israeli soldier destroying an image of Christ in southern Lebanon and the subsequent reaction of the Israeli Government, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land has condemned the act and demanded accountability.
Condemnation following the profanation of the crucifix
The statement, signed on April 20 in Jerusalem, responds to the episode that occurred in the Lebanese town of Debel, where an Israeli soldier was recorded striking an image of the crucified Christ, an incident confirmed by the Israeli army itself and which has prompted an internal investigation.
The bishops of the Holy Land describe what happened as a “grave affront to the Christian faith” and express their “deep indignation” at an act that, they emphasize, is not isolated.
A series of incidents against Christian symbols
The Assembly warns that this episode adds to other cases reported in southern Lebanon, in the context of the Israeli military offensive in the area.
The images of the attack on the crucifix generated an immediate international reaction and even led Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn the gesture and promise disciplinary measures against the perpetrator.
Demanding accountability and guarantees
In their statement, the Catholic Ordinaries call for “immediate and firm” measures, as well as a credible process of accountability.
They also demand clear guarantees that this type of behavior will not be repeated, stating that respect for religious symbols is part of the minimum requirements even in conflict contexts.
Despite the gravity of what occurred, the bishops recall that the meaning of the Cross is not affected by its profanation. Quoting Saint Paul—“Far be it from me to glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”—they emphasize that for Christians it remains a source of hope and redemption.
Urgent call for peace
The statement is framed within the ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon, where military operations have caused thousands of victims and widespread destruction in recent weeks.
In this situation, the bishops reiterate their call to end the war and advance along the path of dialogue.
Recalling recent words from Pope Leo XIV, they insist on the need for a “disarmed” peace, based on responsibility, respect for the sacred, and the dignity of all human life.
We provide below the full statement:
Profanation of an image of the crucified Jesus
The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land expresses its deep indignation and condemns without reservation the profanation of a representation of the crucified Jesus by an Israeli soldier in a Lebanese village.
This act constitutes a grave affront to the Christian faith and adds to other reported incidents of profanation of Christian symbols by Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. Furthermore, it reveals a worrying deficiency in moral and human formation, where even the most basic respect for the sacred and for the dignity of others has been gravely compromised.
The Assembly calls for the adoption of immediate and firm disciplinary measures, the opening of a credible accountability process, and clear guarantees that such conduct will not be tolerated or repeated.
However, even in the face of such an offense, the Cross remains impregnable in its meaning. As the Apostle Saint Paul declares: “Far be it from me to glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14). For believers, the Cross endures as a source of dignity, hope, and redemption, and as a call to overcome violence through sacrificial love.
Precisely in the light of this truth, the Church continues to proclaim that true peace cannot be born from violence, but must be, in the words of Pope Leo XIV, “disarmed… a peace that calls for sheathing the sword”.
For this reason, the Assembly renews with urgency its call to end the war that has ravaged this region for too long and to embrace a path in which peace is manifested in moderation, dialogue, responsibility, and respect for the sacred and for all human life.
Jerusalem, April 20, 2026
His Beatitude Pierbattista Card. Pizzaballa
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
President of the AOCTS