In the second recent documented incident of an Israel Defense Forces soldier appearing to show contempt for Lebanon’s Christians, photos of a soldier putting a cigarette to the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary made a social media splash on Wednesday.
The photo was taken in the village of Debel, according to The Jerusalem Post.
The IDF said the incident took place several weeks ago, but the photo was uploaded to social media on Wednesday.
IDF soldier seen placing cigarette Virgin Mary statue’s mouth in Lebanese village https://t.co/BZmzaWr9LA
— The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) May 6, 2026
Debel was the same village in which another IDF soldier was photographed taking a sledgehammer to a statue of Jesus on a cross, as noted by the BBC.
The IDF said it would investigate with “utmost severity” and that the incident “completely deviates from the values expected of its personnel.”
Fadi Felfeli, leader of the local congregation of Lebanese Catholics, said, “Honestly, this issue really provoked us, especially after the apology regarding the cross.”
“It also shows that there are individuals within the [Israeli] army that lack ethics and values and are bigoted. This reflects a great deal of fanaticism,” he said.
JUST IN: The Israeli military has sentenced two soldiers to just 30 days in jail after they destroyed a statue of Jesus in a Christian village in southern Lebanon.
One soldier was caught on camera swinging a sledgehammer straight at the head of the statue, which had fallen off… pic.twitter.com/khw4JBwu4H
— Jack (@jackunheard) April 21, 2026
Actions such as putting the cigarette in the mouth of the statue he said was not damaged “reflect extremism and intolerance that should not exist, especially toward a village that values peace and neutrality and is not involved in the war,” he said.
The act was also condemned as “disrespectful and outrageous behaviour” by the Roman Catholic Church’s representative in the Holy Land.
“We call on the Israeli government and the IDF to act and send a clear message that such behaviour is unacceptable, must not happen again, and that the case be handled with the utmost seriousness,” the Custodia Terrae Sanctae said.
The IDF previously said that the soldier who destroyed the statue of Jesus and the one who photographed it were sent to a military prison for 30 days.
“The IDF respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities,” Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said.
After the sledgehammer incident, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told senior officers that values need to be restored on the front lines, according to The Times of Israel.
“The unethical incidents we have seen are the product of a long and complex period, but that does not justify them. We must not compromise on our values. The erosion of norms could be no less dangerous than operational threats,” he said.
He showed commanders a photo of a soldier whose patch read, “Stop the hatred. It is time for violence.”
“Is this the army you want? If there is even one person who thinks this reflects IDF values, stand up now. This is not a minor incident. This is a rebellion against IDF values,” Zamir added.
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