The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) sentenced two soldiers to 30 days in military detention and removed them from combat duty April 21 after one smashed a Jesus statue in the Christian village of Debel, southern Lebanon, with a sledgehammer while the other photographed the act.
Following the completion of an initial examination regarding a photograph published earlier today of an IDF soldier harming a Christian symbol, it was determined that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon.
The IDF views the incident with great… https://t.co/U6P3x8KWBb
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 19, 2026
An IDF inquiry found the soldiers’ conduct “completely deviated from IDF orders and values.” Six other troops present at the scene who failed to intervene or report the incident have been summoned for clarification discussions, with further command-level measures pending.
Findings and Conclusions of the Inquiry into the Conduct of an IDF Soldier Who Damaged a Christian Symbol in Southern Lebanon
The inquiry found that during IDF activity in the area of the Christian village of Debel in southern Lebanon, an IDF soldier damaged a Christian… https://t.co/73ubDn3L2G
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 21, 2026
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who received the inquiry findings alongside Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, described the act as “unacceptable conduct and a moral failure.” The 162nd Division commander, Brig. Gen. Sagiv Dahan, accepted the findings and approved the punishments. IDF troops simultaneously replaced the damaged statue in full coordination with the Debel community.
A short while ago, in full coordination with the local community of Debel in southern Lebanon, the damaged statue was replaced by IDF troops. The Northern Command worked to coordinate the replacement of the statue from the moment it received the report of the incident.
The IDF… pic.twitter.com/nGh1s1iia1
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 21, 2026
The swift sentencing contrasts with the IDF’s broader accountability record. Five days earlier, Zamir had approved the reinstatement of five soldiers at the center of the Sde Teiman detention abuse case after charges against them were dropped in March.
Conflict-monitoring group Action on Armed Violence reported in 2025 that 88% of IDF misconduct cases in Gaza and the West Bank were closed or left unresolved.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “stunned and saddened,” while Foreign Minister Gideon Saar apologized to Christians worldwide.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a statement to social media on Monday saying he is “stunned and saddened” by the image in which an IDF soldier was photographed taking an ax to the face of a torn down statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/004AwFdUao
— ABC News (@ABC) April 21, 2026
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, voiced “unreserved condemnation.”
U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said on X that “swift, severe, and public consequences are needed.”
Glad that @gidonsaar @IsraelMFA has taken a strong stand to condemn this outrageous act by an IDF soldier-it doesn’t properly represent the IDF, Israel, or the Israeli gov’t. Swift, severe, & public consequences are needed. https://t.co/uU1H35CUK3
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) April 20, 2026
Debel is one of 55 villages in southern Lebanon under IDF occupation, roughly four miles west of Bint Jbeil. The incident occurred days into a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that began April 17.
