Two Israeli soldiers have been sentenced to military detention following the emergence of a photo that depicted one of them embracing a statue of the Virgin Mary in the Lebanese village of Debel and placing a cigarette in the figure’s mouth. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Monday that the soldier who posed with the statue received a 21-day prison term, while the serviceman who recorded the incident was sentenced to 14 days. The image quickly spread on social media, eliciting condemnation from the local Christian community and prompting an official investigation.
IDF spokeswoman Ariella Mazor stated that 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.” This statement was shared on the military’s X account. The disciplinary action follows a similar case that occurred last month in the same village, where two other soldiers were removed from combat duties and each sentenced to 30 days in military prison. In that incident, one soldier smashed the head of a statue of Jesus Christ with a hammer while a fellow soldier photographed the act. Additionally, six other troops who were present but did not intervene or report the episode were summoned for further clarification.
These incidents take place against a backdrop of heightened tensions along Israel’s northern border. The IDF expanded its operations in southern Lebanon in early March after Hezbollah launched rockets in solidarity with Iran. Although a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese government took effect on April 16, sporadic clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah have persisted. Christian communities in the region have expressed concerns about repeated infringements on their religious sites. In 2023, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza struck a building adjacent to the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, the enclave’s oldest Christian shrine, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 people. More recently, in 2025, shrapnel from an Israeli tank hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church, the territory’s sole Catholic parish, leading to three fatalities.
The IDF’s prompt disciplinary response highlights the military’s official stance on protecting religious symbols, even as it navigates ongoing hostilities with Hezbollah. Observers note that while the punishments are relatively modest in duration, they signal an attempt to mitigate diplomatic fallout and address the grievances of Lebanon’s Christian minority. The situation remains fluid, and further developments are anticipated as both sides continue to manage the volatile security environment along the border.
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