IDF sentences soldiers for desecrating Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon

The Israeli military on Monday sentenced two soldiers to military prison after one was photographed placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in the southern Lebanese village of Debel, the second act of desecration against Christian symbols in the same village in recent weeks.

The soldier seen in the photograph received 21 days in military jail, while the soldier who took the photo was sentenced to 14 days, the IDF said. The sentencing was carried out by Brig. Gen. Sagiv Dahan, commander of the 162nd Division, who oversaw the relevant area of southern Lebanon at the time, according to the Times of Israel News Corp ↘ 0.54%.pbs+1

A Pattern of Desecration

The photograph was taken several weeks ago but only surfaced on social media on May 6, quickly drawing widespread condemnation. An initial IDF inquiry confirmed the image was authentic and identified the soldiers involved.aljazeera+2

The incident echoed a similar episode in the same village. On April 21, two soldiers were removed from combat duty and sentenced to 30 days in military prison after one was photographed striking a fallen crucifix of Jesus with what appeared to be a sledgehammer while the other filmed. That image, which surfaced online on April 19, prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say he was "stunned and saddened," while Foreign Minister Gideon Saar issued an apology. The military subsequently replaced the damaged crucifix with a new sculpture, and Italian UN peacekeeping forces and the Vatican's ambassador to Lebanon brought a replacement statue and cross to Debel.nytimes+3

Broader Scrutiny of IDF Conduct

The repeated incidents have drawn attention to a broader pattern. Footage also emerged of military excavators damaging solar panels in Debel, an incident still under investigation, according to the Times of Israel. The IDF said in a statement that it "views the incident gravely, and respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities".timesofisrael

Debel is a Maronite Christian village that was not ordered by Israel to evacuate during its military operations against Hezbollah. Thousands of Israeli troops remain stationed across a wide area of southern Lebanon following a US-mediated ceasefire that took effect in mid-April but has since largely unraveled. The string of desecrations has strained Israel's relations with Christian communities at a time when the military insists it values those ties.thecatholicherald+2