Khaberni - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned an Israeli soldier's destruction of a Catholic religious symbol in southern Lebanon, considering it "an act that contradicts the Jewish values upon which the state is based."
Netanyahu said in a post on the "X" platform that he "was shocked and saddened upon hearing about the incident, like the vast majority of Israelis," praising "the military authorities for launching a criminal investigation and taking harsh disciplinary measures against the perpetrator."
He claimed that "Christians thrive in Israel unlike the rest of the Middle East, where they are slaughtered in Syria and Lebanon by Muslims," noting that "Israel is the only country in the region where the Christian population and their standard of living are increasing, and it is the only place that upholds freedom of worship for everyone."
Netanyahu concluded his statement expressing regret for the incident and any harm it caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.
Photos of an Israeli soldier smashing the statue of Jesus Christ in the town of Deir Syrian in southern Lebanon have spread, with the Israeli army saying, "These actions are not in line with the army's values and the expected behavior of its soldiers."
It noted that the incident will be "thoroughly and deeply investigated," clarifying that "necessary actions will be taken based on the investigation results," without providing additional details about the identity of the soldier or the nature of the possible penalties.
