Israeli soldier seen striking Jesus statue in Lebanon, sparking condemnation - BERITAJA

Israel's leaders and subject person condemned an Israeli worker pictured damaging a statue of Jesus Christ.

A photograph emerged complete the play showing a worker successful southern Lebanon taking what appeared to beryllium an axe aliases sledgehammer to the look of the statue, sparking outrage.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he was “stunned and saddened” by the photo.

“I condemn the enactment successful the strongest terms,” Netanyahu said successful a station connected X. “We definitive regret for the incident and for immoderate wounded this has caused to believers successful Lebanon and about the world,” he added.

His comments came aft the Israeli subject confirmed precocious Sunday that the photo, showing a statue of Jesus turned upside down and disconnected its cross, was authentic.

“The IDF views the incident pinch awesome severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s behaviour is wholly inconsistent pinch the values expected of its troops,” the IDF said successful a statement, re-sharing a station by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi that had circulated wide connected societal media.

The IDF said the incident is being further investigated, and due measures will beryllium taken against those involved. The Israeli subject was besides moving to assistance the organization successful restoring the statue to its place, the connection said.

“The IDF is operating to dismantle the violent infrastructure established by Hezbollah successful confederate Lebanon, and has nary volition of harming civilian infrastructure, including belief buildings aliases belief symbols,” the connection added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the photograph “grave and disgraceful,” saying successful a connection connected X that he commended the IDF for its condemnation.

“I’m assured that the basal strict measures will beryllium taken against whoever carried retired this disfigured act,” Saar said.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said successful a station connected X that "swift, severe, & nationalist consequences are needed" for what he called an "outrageous act."

The incident comes amid a ten-day U.S.-brokered ceasefire betwixt Israel and Lebanon. Israel invaded confederate Lebanon and has attacked the state from the aerial aft strikes by the country’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militants successful retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran.

The Israeli cognition has displaced more than a cardinal people, and killed about 2,300, according to Lebanese officials.