Israeli military investigates soldier's act against Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- The Israeli military is investigating a soldier photographed smoking and placing a cigarette on a Virgin Mary statue in the Christian village of Debel, southern Lebanon, an act condemned as unethical and extremist by local religious leaders.
- This incident follows a previous case where another soldier was photographed hitting a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer, leading to military prison sentences for those involved.
- The Roman Catholic Church's representative in the Holy Land condemned the behavior as disrespectful and urged the Israeli government and IDF to take serious action to prevent recurrence.
- The IDF stated the photo was taken weeks ago, pledged respect for religious symbols, and promised command measures based on the investigation's outcome.
- Despite a US-brokered ceasefire on 16 April, Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon amid ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, with recent Israeli strikes causing over 120 deaths, including civilians.
