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Documented Incidents of Violence (2024-2025)
Reported incidents of violence against religious symbols and individuals by location and nature.
Primary Sources
Outrage after photo shows Israeli soldier smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon
Social media users condemn Western silence on attacks on religious symbols and sites by Israeli soldiers and settlers.A viral photograph showing an Israeli soldier hitting a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon with a sledgehammer has sparked outrage.In a statement on Monday, the Israeli military confirmed the authenticity of the image that was widely shared online, garnering more than 5 million views on X.It said that following an initial review, it was determined that the photograph showed an Israeli soldier “operating in southern Lebanon”, where Israel last month launched a ground invasion in conjunction with aerial bombardment amid its joint war with the United States on Iran.The military added that an investigation had been opened and that “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings”.Commenting on social media, Ayman Odeh, a Palestinian member of the Israeli parliament, wrote pointedly: “We’ll wait to hear the police spokesperson claim that ‘the soldier felt threatened by Jesus’.”Ahmad Tibi, another Palestinian member of the Knesset, wrote on Facebook that those who blow up mosques and churches in Gaza and spit on Christian clergy in Jerusalem without punishment are not afraid to destroy a statue of Jesus Christ and publish it.“Perhaps these racists have also learned from Donald Trump to insult Jesus Christ and insult Pope Leo?” he asked, referring to the US president’s recent controversies, including his now-deleted AI-generated image that portrayed him as a Jesus-like figure and his feud with the head of the Roman Catholic Church, who has criticised the war on Iran.Several activists, academics and writers also criticised the desecration of the statue, which was located on the outskirts of the village of Debl in southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel.Social media users also condemned the international silence following attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers against religious sites and symbols.“When the Western world remains silent, racists go further,” said Tibi.Israeli forces repeatedly attacked religious sites, including mosques and churches, during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, meanwhile, settlers vandalised or attacked 45 mosques last year, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.Separately, the Religious Freedom Data Center (RFDC) documented at least 201 incidents of violence against Christians, primarily committed by Orthodo...
IDF: Image of soldier smashing Jesus statue in southern Lebanon is real ...
Jerusalem Post/Middle EastThe IDF views the incident with "great severity and emphasizes that the soldier's conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops," the military said on Sunday night.This X/Twitter screenshot shows an alleged incident where an IDF soldier is seen smashing a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon on April 19, 2026.(photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X)ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF, YOAV ETIEL, JAMES GENNAPRIL 19, 2026 21:49Updated: APRIL 20, 2026 00:20An image showing an IDF soldier in uniform smashing a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon spread rapidly online on Sunday afternoon, drawing condemnations across social media. The IDF said that it would investigate, confirming on Sunday evening that the image was genuine."The IDF views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops," the military said following its confirmation."The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being addressed through the chain of command. Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings," the military added.The IDF will also assist the community in restoring the statue to its place, the military said.Christians pray on Good Friday in Cathedral St. Thomas church, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues, in Tyre, Lebanon, April 3, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/ADNAN ABIDI)According to reports attributed to members of the Christian community in the village of Ain Ebel in the central sector of southern Lebanon, the alleged incident took place in Debel, a Maronite Christian village about six kilometers to the northwest and roughly five kilometers northeast of the Israeli border community of Shtula.Christian Forum coordinator: 'Impossible to remain silent'Wadie Abunassar, coordinator of the Christian Forum in the Holy Land, said he had received the image from several sources and urged that the matter not be ignored.“It is impossible to remain silent in the face of such violations,” he said, calling for efforts to verify the incident and for complaints to be filed in order to bring the perpetrator to justice, if it is ultimately confirmed that the act took place.
Israeli soldier filmed smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon
An image showing an Israeli soldier using a jackhammer to smash a statue of Jesus on a cross in southern Lebanon went viral on social media on Sunday. Israel has occupied several areas in southern ...
Israel army probes image of soldier hitting Jesus statue in Lebanon ...
The image appears to show an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a statue of a crucified Jesus that had fallen off of a cross.
