Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday expressed regret that an IDF soldier had damaged a Catholic religious icon in Southern Lebanon, condemned it in the strongest terms and assured that “harsh disciplinary action” will be taken against the guilty party.
After an image of an Israeli Defense Forces soldier damaging a statue of Jesus on the cross circulated online, the IDF said it would investigate. It announced its findings overnight, determining the image was authentic.
Saying that Israel respects all faiths and creeds, Netanyahu said that he, like “the overwhelming majority of Israelis,” was “stunned and saddened” to learn of the vandalism.
The prime minister noted that Muslims slaughter Christians in Syria and Lebanon, but that the Christian population thrives in Israel.
“Israel is the only country in the region that the Christian population and standard of living is growing,” he said.
As the Jewish state, Israel cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect between Jews and worshippers of all faiths. All religions flourish in our land and we view members of all faiths as equals in building our society and region.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 20, 2026
Yesterday, like the…
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also condemned the act, calling it “grave and disgraceful.”
He praised the IDF for condemning the incident and conducting an investigation. “I’m confident that the necessary strict measures will be taken against whoever carried out this ugly act,” he said. “This shameful action is completely contrary to our values.
“Israel is a country that respects the different religions and their sacred symbols, and upholds tolerance and respect among faiths,” he said. “We apologize for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”
