JERUSALEM, Israel – A disturbing photo showing what is apparently an Israeli Defense Forces soldier smashing the head of a Jesus statue in Lebanon has gone viral.
Israel issued a statement through the military saying, “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 incident is being investigated by the Northern Command, and appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with their findings.
Furthermore, the IDF said they are “working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place.”
The IDF added that it “is operating to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar decried the incident, labeling it “grave and disgraceful,” and extended an apology to Christians who felt hurt by the incident.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a Monday post on X, stated that he was “stunned and saddened” to learn of the incident.
Investigative Journalist David Bedein, in a phone discussion with CBN News, raised the question of whether Israeli intelligence should examine the possibility that the mutilated Jesus statue was the product of a carefully planned provocation. He believes that the method of relaying the story to the media was professionally done.
“This is not just a happenstance issue,” Bedein said, adding that Israel’s enemies “have been using provocations all along, and this is the latest.”
Israel is one of the only countries in the Middle East that guarantees freedom of religion for many faiths.
CBN News will update the story as events warrant.
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