A new incident involving Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon sparked outrage this week among the Christian communities in the region and new criticisms against the behavior of some members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in villages under Israeli military control.
The incident came to light on Wednesday, May 6, when a recording began circulating showing an Israeli fighter smoking a cigarette and using another to mockingly insert it into a statue of the Virgin Mary. The images were reportedly recorded in the Christian village of Dabel and later disseminated on social media.
The IDF confirmed the authenticity of the video and assured that the case is being investigated. In a statement, the Israeli army described the behavior as “serious” and assured that the soldier involved will be interrogated and sanctioned.
“The soldier’s behavior completely deviates from the values expected of combatants,” stated the Israeli military spokesperson, who also insisted that there is no intention to damage religious symbols or civilian infrastructure during operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Growing discontent among Christians in southern Lebanon
The episode once again fueled the discontent of the Christian communities in southern Lebanon, who for months have been denouncing acts of vandalism and disrespect towards religious symbols during Israeli military operations in the area.
A resident of Dabel told local media that, despite promises made by high-ranking Israeli officials, offensive incidents against the Christian faith continue to occur.
“There are soldiers who despise our religion. The army does not control the soldiers,” the resident stated.
The controversy also occurred just a few weeks after another episode that generated strong international repercussions: the destruction of a statue of Christ by an Israeli soldier in another Christian village in southern Lebanon.
The case ended with 30 days of arrest for the soldier involved, while other soldiers present were sanctioned for not intervening or reporting the incident.
Vatican’s Reaction and Concern for Christian Sites
The Custodia Terrae Sanctae—institution responsible for the protection of Christian holy sites in the Holy Land and the Middle East—strongly condemned the incident and asked Israel to act “with maximum severity.”
In a statement, the institution expressed its “deep sadness over the lack of respect and the ongoing damage to the sacred symbols of the Christian religion.”
“This is an outrageous behavior that must cease immediately,” stated the Custodia, also demanding a clear message from the Israeli government and army to prevent this type of incident from happening again.