Israeli soldier smashes Jesus statue in Lebanon, activists condemn Western silence

ALBAWABA - A photo has gone viral in the past few hours on the internet depicting an Israeli soldier destroying the statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon as the Israeli military continues its incursion into the Lebanese territory. 

The picture of the Israeli soldier attacking a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon with a sledgehammer has sparked massive outrage, with activists calling for punishment for the IDF soldier.

Additionally, social media users condemned the silence by the West on attacks on religious symbols and sites by Israeli soldiers and settlers.

One activist wrote, "I wonder if JD Vance, Trump, and Pete are going to speak out about this."

Another commented, "Why should you even hesitate believing it’s authentic! Israel and the Zionist regime hate Christianity as much as they hate Muslims." 

How did the Israeli Army respond:

The Israeli Army confirmed the authenticity of the photo and said that it opened a probe into the case and that it will punish the person responsible. 

It said after an initial probe, it was determined that the photograph showed an Israeli soldier "operating in southern Lebanon", where Tel Aviv last month announced a ground invasion in conjunction with aerial bombardment against Hezbollah sites.

The military further mentioned that "appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings".