Overview
- Israel’s military launched an investigation after a photo showed a soldier putting a cigarette in a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, which spread online Wednesday.
- The army said the image was taken several weeks earlier and called the conduct completely inconsistent with its values, promising command action after the review.
- An earlier incident in late April in the same village led to two soldiers being removed from combat and jailed for 30 days for smashing a Jesus statue.
- Lebanese media report Israeli forces also bulldozed solar panels that power Debel’s water system and destroyed homes, roads and olive trees, making returns harder for displaced residents.
- Religious groups have documented rising harassment of Christians, and public outrage has often prompted faster condemnations and limited discipline by Israeli authorities.