JERUSALEM (AP) — Military officials have sentenced two Israeli service members to prison time following an incident where they vandalized a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon, with one soldier inserting a cigarette into the statue’s mouth while another captured the act on camera.
The image, showing the service member with a cigarette hanging from his own lips, spread rapidly across social media platforms and generated significant international criticism. This incident represents another example of actions by Israeli military personnel that have been characterized as anti-Christian behavior in southern Lebanon, where Israel conducted ground operations this year targeting the Iranian-supported Hezbollah organization.
Military authorities announced that the soldier who posed for the photograph will serve 21 days behind bars, while his counterpart who took the picture faces a 14-day sentence.
According to military spokesperson Lt. Col. Ariella Mazor, who posted on X, the armed forces “views the incident with great severity and respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities.”
This controversy emerged just days following another incident where photographs showed an Israeli soldier attacking a fallen crucifix statue with an ax in the southern Lebanese community of Debel, drawing sharp criticism from international officials, religious authorities, and Israeli political figures. Military leadership also imposed prison sentences on personnel involved in that separate incident.
Israeli military units gained control over southern Lebanon during the recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which commenced on March 2 after the Iranian-backed Lebanese organization launched rockets across the border two days following the beginning of hostilities between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. Israeli forces have maintained their presence despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement.
Military officials also reported Monday that a soldier serving as a driver was killed during operations near the border region, bringing the total number of Israeli military deaths in the area to 18 since the Iran conflict began.
According to Israeli military statements, their operations focus exclusively on structures that served as Hezbollah strongholds. However, the extensive damage has raised concerns among Lebanese government officials and civilians that many people forced from their homes during the recent fighting may have no place to return to if the current fragile ceasefire continues.
