Two Israeli soldiers have been sentenced to military prison for desecrating a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon. The incident, which occurred during Israel's ongoing operations in the region, involved one soldier placing a cigarette in the statue's mouth while another photographed the act.
The photograph, which went viral online, sparked widespread outrage. The Israeli military confirmed that the soldier who posed with the statue will serve 21 days in prison, while the soldier who took the photograph received a 14-day sentence. The military stated it views the incident with great severity and respects freedom of religion and worship.
This act of desecration follows a similar incident in the village of Debel, where an Israeli soldier was filmed using an axe against a fallen statue of Jesus on the cross. That incident was condemned by foreign leaders, Christian groups, and Israeli politicians, with the soldiers involved also receiving prison sentences.
The desecration comes amid Israel's ground invasion of southern Lebanon, which began after Hezbollah launched missiles into Israel on March 2. Despite a truce, Israeli forces remain in the area. The conflict has raised concerns among Lebanese officials and residents about the destruction of property and the displacement of civilians.
Christians constitute about one-third of Lebanon's population of roughly 5.5 million. The Israeli military maintains that it only targets buildings used by Hezbollah, but the scale of destruction has fueled fears that many displaced people may have no homes to return to if the ceasefire holds.
