A photograph showing an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to smash a statue of Jesus Christ in the southern Lebanese village of Debel has gone viral. The image, which emerged on social media over the weekend, depicts the soldier striking the head of a fallen crucifix statue located in a family garden on the edge of Debel, a predominantly Christian village near the Israeli border. The incident occurred amid ongoing Israeli military operations against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
This photo is the latest desecration of Christian sites by the IDF, one that has become an international incident because of the grotesque, gratuitous nature of the soldier’s actions. In a war, supposedly, against Hezbollah, an Islamic group, the IDF has a sidequest against Lebanese Christians.
Israeli Prime Minister responded to the incident, stating:
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.
Yesterday, like the overwhelming majority of Israelis, I was stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon. I condemn the act in the strongest terms. Military authorities are conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender.
While Christians are being slaughtered in Syria and Lebanon by Muslims, the Christian population in Israel thrives unlike elsewhere in the Middle East. Israel is the only country in the region that the Christian population and standard of living is growing. Israel is the only place in the Middle East that adheres to freedom of worship for all. We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.
However, if the Israeli government refuses to prosecute soldiers who raped POWs on camera, then this soldier is likely to get a slap on the wrist, if not a commendation. Despite this, the myth of Judeo-Christianity will continue to persist.
One Response
“Judeo-Christian” is a direct denial of “Christ alone.”