Jerusalem Patriarch And Israeli Prime Minister Condemn Israeli Soldier's Desecration Of A Crucifix

Israel’s prime minister, foreign minister and military joined Catholic leaders in condemning the destruction of a roadside crucifix in the southern Lebanese village of Debel by an Israeli soldier. An image of the soldier apparently smashing the crucifix with an axe circulated widely on social media.

Catholic bishops in the Holy Land expressed their “unreserved condemnation” of the vandalism. In a statement signed by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and issued April 20, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land declared its “profound indignation and unreserved condemnation of the desecration of a representation of Jesus Crucified by an Israeli soldier in a Lebanese village.”

“This act constitutes a grave affront to the Christian faith and adds to other reported incidents of desecration of Christian symbols by IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon.” It also reveals “a disturbing failure in moral and human formation, wherein even the most elementary reverence for the sacred and for the dignity of others has been gravely compromised.”

“The Assembly calls for immediate and decisive disciplinary action, a credible process of accountability, and clear assurances that such conduct will neither be tolerated nor repeated,” the statement added.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the photo’s authenticity and said it is investigating. In a statement published April 19, the IDF said it “views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.” 

“The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being addressed through the chain of command. Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings,” the IDF said.

The photo was posted on X by journalist Younis Tirawi, who later shared a Facebook page from Debel showing the crucifix before its destruction with the words: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Father Fadi Falfel, a priest in Debel, told Reuters: “One of the Israeli soldiers broke the cross and did this horrible thing, this desecration of our holy symbols.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X: “I condemn the act in the strongest terms.” He added that “Israel cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect between Jews and worshippers of all faiths,” and that, “like the overwhelming majority of Israelis,” he was “stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon.” He vowed that Israel “will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender.” “We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world,” Netanyahu said.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar deplored the “grave and disgraceful” desecration and apologized “to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.” Sa’ar said on X he was “confident that the necessary strict measures will be taken against whoever carried out this ugly act.” Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani welcomed Sa’ar’s statement on “the serious act committed by an IDF soldier.” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called on X for “Swift, severe, & public consequences.”

Netanyahu also noted that “the Christian population in Israel thrives unlike elsewhere in the Middle East” and that “Israel is the only place in the Middle East that adheres to freedom of worship for all,” while some religious-freedom organizations report a spate of attacks on Christians and Christian symbols within Israel. According to the Jerusalem-based Religious Freedom Data Center, roughly 181 incidents of “harassment targeting Christians, Christian symbols, and Christian institutions” were recorded in Israel in 2025, with an additional 44 incidents between January and March 2026.