Social media users condemn Western silence over attacks on religious symbols and sites by Israeli soldiers and settlers.
Published on 19 April 2026
A viral photo showing an Israeli soldier hitting a statue of Jesus Christ with a hammer has sparked outrage in southern Lebanon.
In a statement on Monday, the Israeli military confirmed the authenticity of the image that was shared widely online, receiving more than 5 million views on Twitter.
It said that after an initial review, it was determined that the photo showed an Israeli soldier “operating in southern Lebanon”, where last month Israel launched a ground offensive followed by aerial bombardment amid its joint war with the United States on Iran.
The Army said an investigation has been launched and “appropriate action will be taken against those involved as per the findings”.
Commenting on social media, Palestinian member of the Israeli parliament Ayman Odeh bluntly wrote: “We will wait to hear the police spokesperson’s claim that ‘the soldier felt threatened by Jesus’.”
Ahmed Tibi, another Palestinian member of the Knesset, wrote on Facebook that those who blow up mosques and churches in Gaza and spit on Christian pastors in Jerusalem without punishment are not afraid to destroy a statue of Jesus Christ and light it up.
“Maybe these racists have learned from Donald Trump to insult Jesus Christ and also to insult Pope Leo?” he asked, referring to the US president’s recent controversies, including a now-removed AI-generated image of him that portrayed him as a Jesus-like figure and his feud with the head of the Roman Catholic Church who has criticized the war on Iran.
Many activists, academics and writers also criticized the desecration of the statue, which was located on the outskirts of the village of Debal in southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel.
Social media users also condemned international silence following attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers against religious sites and symbols.
“When the Western world remains silent, racists go further,” Tibi said.
Israeli forces repeatedly attacked religious sites, including mosques and churches, during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, settlers vandalized or attacked 45 mosques last year, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Separately, the Religious Freedom Data Center (RFDC) documented at least 201 incidents of violence against Christians between January 2024 and September 2025, perpetrated primarily by Orthodox Jews targeting international clergy or individuals displaying Christian symbols.
Most of these incidents, which included multiple forms of harassment including spitting, verbal abuse, vandalism and assault, took place in the Old City of Jerusalem, located in occupied East Jerusalem.
