Outrage as Israeli soldier smashes Jesus statue with axe in Lebanon
The crucifix was part of a small shrine in the garden of a family living in the village
Published April 20, 2026
An Israeli soldier has sparked widespread outrage after a picture of him, desecrating a statue of Jesus in Debel, Lebanon, went viral on social media.
The image posted by Palestinian journalist Younis Tiwari, shows an Israeli soldier using an ax to cut the head of the statue that he already brought upside down. The picture caused widespread outrage among Muslims and Christians alike.
According to Reuters, the incident occurred during the Israeli military’s latest aggression against Lebanon that began on March 2, 2026. The outlet identified the location to be a southern Lebanese village where the vast majority of the population is Christian.
The crucifix was part of a small shrine in the garden of a family living in the village. Talking about the horrific incident, the priest said, “One of the Israeli soldiers broke the cross and did this horrible thing, this desecration of our holy symbols.”
The Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land has described the incident as “gravely affront to the Chrisitian faith.”
United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee reacted furiously to the incident and said, “Swift, severe, and public consequences are needed.”
Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have also opened an investigation into the matter, according to IDF’s official X account.
Critics argue that Israel has a history of failing to serve justice against its soldiers involved in heinous crimes and often let them roam free after the dust settles.
