IDF Investigates Incident of Soldier Defacing Virgin Mary Statue in Lebanon

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it is investigating an incident of a soldier defacing a statue of the Virgin Mary in Lebanon, after a photograph emerged of a soldier putting a cigarette to the statue’s mouth.

IDF international spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Ariella Mazor wrote in a May 6 post on X that the Israeli military “views the incident with utmost severity and emphasizes that the conduct of the soldier completely deviates from the values expected of its personnel.”

Mazor quote-tweeted an image of an IDF soldier putting a cigarette to the Virgin Mary’s mouth, posted originally by independent journalist Ethan Levins, confirming that the picture was taken several weeks ago, during Israel’s operations against the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

She said the incident will be investigated, and measures will be taken against the soldier in accordance with the findings.

“The IDF respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities,” the IDF spokesperson said.

“The IDF operates to address the terrorist infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols.”

Warsaw Outraged

Poland, a Catholic country, expressed its outrage over the incident.

In a May 7 post on X, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it “notes with outrage another case of a soldier of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) insulting religious feelings in Lebanon.”

“The contempt with which he treated the figure of Our Lady offends the sensitivity of Christians,” it said.

The MFA said that another incident involving a representative of the state of Israel offending Christian sentiment does not create an atmosphere conducive to constructing peace in the Middle East.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland consistently condemns manifestations of all religious discrimination in the world,” the MFA said.

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski further added in a May 7 post on X that IDF soldiers “require training in respect for other religions and cultures.”

Statue of Jesus Smashed

The incident is the latest high-profile anti-Christian incident perpetrated by Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, after an IDF soldier toppled a statue of Jesus Christ in the south of the country and further damaged it with a sledgehammer. A photograph of the incident circulated widely on social media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the act, saying in an April 20 post on X, “We express regret for the incident, and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.”

The IDF announced on April 21 that two Israeli soldiers—the one who damaged the statue and the one who took the photograph—would receive a month of military detention as punishment.

“The IDF expresses deep regret over the incident and emphasizes that its operations in Lebanon are directed solely against the Hezbollah terrorist organization and other terrorist groups, and not against Lebanese civilians,” the IDF said.

Charges Following Attack on Nun

Earlier this week, Israeli officials announced they had charged a man with simple assault and assault motivated by religious hostility, following an attack on a Catholic nun in Jerusalem last week.

The incident, which occurred on April 28, was caught on film and showed the nun being attacked in the area of David’s Tomb, a holy site outside of Zion’s Gate on the southern side of the Old City, which is in Israel-controlled east Jerusalem.

Israel Police on its English language X account shared a post condemning the attack.

“The Israel Police treats any attack on members of the clergy and religious communities with the utmost seriousness and applies a policy of zero tolerance to all acts of violence,” it said at the time of the arrest.

“In a city sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, we remain committed to protecting all communities and ensuring those responsible for violence are held accountable.”