Israeli Soldier’s Desecration of Christ Statue in Lebanon Draws Outrage, Church Demands Accountability

20/04/2026

JERUSALEM, Apr 20: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on Monday voiced “profound indignation and unreserved condemnation” after an Israeli soldier was seen defacing a statue of Jesus Christ in Lebanon, calling the act “a grave affront to the Christian faith.”

The Israeli military confirmed that widely circulated images showing a soldier smashing the head of a toppled Christ statue with a sledgehammer were authentic, sparking widespread condemnation across religious and political circles.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a criminal investigation had been launched into the incident. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the act as “shameful” and issued an apology “to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”

In a statement from Jerusalem, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, led by Pizzaballa, called for “immediate and decisive disciplinary action,” urging a credible accountability process and firm assurances that such actions would not be repeated.