"Two Israeli soldiers will spend weeks in military prison for the desecration of a Christian object after one stuck a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon and the other photographed it. The photo of the soldier, a cigarette dangling from his own mouth, went viral and sparked widespread outrage. It was the latest act by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon to be denounced as anti-Christian."
"The military said the soldier posing would be jailed for 21 days and the one who photographed him 14. 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, spokesperson Lt Col Ariella Mazor wrote on X."
"The photo appeared days after images of an Israeli soldier wielding an axe against a fallen statue of Jesus on the cross in the southern Lebanon village of Debel were roundly condemned by foreign leaders, Christian leaders and Israeli politicians. The military sentenced soldiers who participated in hacking down the crucifix to time in military prison. The punishments given in the two cases are unusual."
"Israel's military says it only targets buildings that Hezbollah uses as outposts. The scale of destruction, however, has Lebanese officials and residents worried that large numbers of displaced peopl"
Two Israeli soldiers were punished for desecrating a Christian religious object in southern Lebanon. One soldier stuck a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary, and the other photographed the act. The photo went viral and triggered widespread outrage and condemnation as anti-Christian. The Israeli military said the soldier posing would be jailed for 21 days and the one who photographed him for 14 days, treating the incident with great severity while affirming respect for freedom of religion and worship. The incident followed earlier condemnation of an Israeli soldier wielding an axe against a crucifix in Debel, where soldiers involved received time in military prison. The wider conflict in southern Lebanon continues amid claims of targeting Hezbollah outposts and concerns about destruction and displacement.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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