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The Israeli army (IDF) has imposed disciplinary measures against two of its soldiers for desecrating a Christian statue in southern Lebanon, sentencing them to military prison.
According to the IDF statement, the soldier who put a cigarette in the mouth of the Virgin Mary statue has been sentenced to three weeks in prison, while the other soldier who filmed the incident will spend two weeks in a military cell. Israeli army spokeswoman Ariella Mazor stressed that the army views the incident “very severely.”
"We respect freedom of religion and worship, as well as the holy places and religious symbols of all religions and communities ," she declared.
This is the second such incident in as many weeks. Last month, two other Israeli soldiers were sentenced to 30 days in prison after a video showed one of them destroying a statue of Jesus with a hammer while the other recorded the incident.
The video caused strong international reactions and criticism of the behavior of Israeli forces towards religious heritage in the areas where they operate.
Israeli troops have been conducting ongoing operations in southern Lebanon for months as part of a renewed conflict with Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite militant group. The conflict has led to massive population displacement and heightened religious and humanitarian tensions in the region.
The latest punishments come as an effort by the Israeli military to maintain discipline within its ranks and avoid further damage to its international image, as military operations in Lebanon continue.
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