The Israeli army has confirmed that a photograph showing an Israeli soldier harming a Christian symbol in southern Lebanon is authentic.
The admission follows widespread outrage over a video depicting a soldier using a jackhammer to smash the head of a statue of Jesus Christ in the town of Deir Siryan.
The Israeli army has determined that the incident involved a soldier operating in southern Lebanon.
The desecration occurred despite the Israeli army’s insistence that it “has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols.”
While the military claims the incident is being investigated by the Northern Command, it provided no details on the soldier’s identity or specific disciplinary actions.