Placed Cigarette in Virgin Mary Statue’s Mouth... Israeli Soldiers Sent to Prison for 'Religious Desecration'

Israeli Military Faces Another Religious Desecration Controversy
After Jesus Statue Incident, Photo Shows Cigarette in Virgin Mary Statue

Israeli soldiers operating in southern Lebanon sparked controversy after taking a photo that appeared to show them placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary. As a result, the soldiers involved have ultimately received military detention as disciplinary action.

Controversy over 'Cigarette in the Virgin's Mouth' Photo: "Being Treated with Great Severity"

An Israeli soldier placing a cigarette to the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary. X (formerly Twitter)

According to international media outlets including The Times of Israel on May 10 (local time), the Israeli military announced that, following a thorough investigation, it had severely punished the soldiers involved in the act of religious desecration that took place in Debel, a Maronite Christian village in southern Lebanon.

Based on the results of the investigation, the military authorities sentenced the soldier who placed the cigarette in the mouth of the Virgin Mary statue to 21 days in detention, and the soldier who took the photograph to 14 days in detention. It was reported that the investigation into this incident was personally overseen by the commander of the 162nd Division, who was in charge of the operation at the time.

In an official statement, the Israeli military said, "We take this matter extremely seriously," adding, "The military respects freedom of religion and worship and protects the holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities." The statement continued, "Before entering an operational area, soldiers are regularly and clearly instructed on protocols regarding religious facilities and symbols." This action is seen as a measure to minimize religious conflict that could arise during wartime and to prevent the spread of international criticism.

Controversy over 'Jesus Statue Desecration' Last Month

X (formerly Twitter)

This is not the first time the Israeli military has faced controversy over religious desecration. Last month, another incident occurred when a photo was released showing an Israeli soldier, also operating in southern Lebanon, desecrating a statue of Jesus. The photo captured the soldier striking the head of a Jesus statue—separated from the cross and lying on the ground—with a large hammer.

As the controversy grew, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on X (formerly Twitter) at the time, "Upon hearing the news that an Israeli soldier damaged a Catholic religious artifact, I, like the overwhelming majority of Israeli citizens, was deeply shocked and saddened."

He emphasized, "As a Jewish state, Israel cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect. We consider members of all religions to be equal partners in building our society and communities." He further stated, "I condemn this act in the strongest terms," and added, "The military authorities are currently conducting a criminal investigation into this matter, and the perpetrator will face stern and appropriate disciplinary action."

Additionally, some Israeli soldiers were also investigated by the military authorities after uploading videos to social networking services (SNS) showing them damaging solar panels and vehicles on the outskirts of Debel.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.