Israeli Soldier Who Destroyed Jesus Statue Pulled From Battlefield and Detained

JAKARTA - The Israeli military on Tuesday said in a statement that it had withdrawn two soldiers from combat duty and placed them in military custody for 30 days, following the destruction of a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, condemned the desecration of the statue as an unacceptable act and a moral failure, according to the statement.

A photo showing an Israeli soldier using the blunt side of an axe to destroy a statue of Jesus falling on a cross drew widespread condemnation on Monday from Israeli politicians, the United States and church leaders.

The photo was uploaded by Younis Tirawi, a Palestinian reporter who has also uploaded pictures of alleged violations committed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza.

The military statement said an investigation into the incident showed that a soldier damaged a Christian religious symbol, while others photographed the act, launching Al Arabiya from Reuters (22/4).

The other six soldiers were present without taking any action or interfering, according to the statement.

In addition, the Israeli military said they were working with the local community to replace the statue.

Reuters verified the images were taken in Debel, one of the few villages in southern Lebanon where residents remained during Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah that began on March 2, after the militant group fired rockets into Israel in support of Iran.

Debel is one of dozens of villages in southern Lebanon that are now under Israeli occupation.

Last week, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-mediated ceasefire aimed at halting fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Israeli military has carried out destruction in villages in the south, claiming they were acting against Hezbollah-owned infrastructure.

Meanwhile, human rights groups say this type of punishment is relatively rare in the Israeli military.

In 2025, the conflict monitoring group Action on Armed Violence said it found Israel had closed or left 88 percent of alleged violations in Gaza and the West Bank unresolved.

In a recent case, charges against a soldier accused of sexually assaulting a Gaza detainee were dropped.