Israeli soldiers sentenced to military prison over Virgin Mary statue desecration in southern Lebanon

Israel’s military said two soldiers were punished after a Christian statue was mocked in southern Lebanon. One soldier put a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue. Another soldier took a photo. The image spread online and drew anger. The army said both actions desecrated a religious object.

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Israel’s military said the soldier who posed will serve 21 days in military prison. The soldier who photographed the scene will serve 14 days. The case followed other incidents criticised as anti-Christian. The viral photo showed the soldier with a cigarette in the soldier’s own mouth.

Israeli soldiers military prison terms after Christian statue incident

Israels military described the matter as serious in a statement on X. "The military 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,\" spokesperson LLt Col Ariella Mazor wrote X. The statement set out the prison terms for both soldiers.

The photo circulated soon after another set of images caused fresh condemnation. Those images showed an Israeli soldier using an ax on a fallen statue of Jesus on the cross. The statue was in the southern Lebanon village of Debel. Foreign leaders, Christian leaders and Israeli politicians criticised that act.

Israeli soldiers military prison amid southern Lebanon war context

Israels military said it sentenced soldiers involved in hacking down the crucifix to military prison time. The army did not give added details in this report. The punishments came during a wider conflict in southern Lebanon. That fighting involved Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese militant group.

Israeli forces took control of southern Lebanon during the latest Israel-Hezbollah war. The war began on March 2. Hezbollah fired missiles across the border. That happened two days after the US and Israel launched their war with Iran. Israel then sent ground forces into southern Lebanon.

Israeli forces have remained in southern Lebanon despite a weekslong truce. Israels military said it targets only buildings used as Hezbollah outposts. Lebanese officials and residents reported worries about heavy destruction. They feared displaced people may have little to return to if the truce holds.

With inputs from PTI