An Israeli soldier was filmed pointing what appeared to be a hammer or ax at a statue of Jesus Christ in a village in southern Lebanon, which was replaced by Italian peacekeepers.
After the images sparked outrage in Christian communities in Lebanon and around the world, Israel apologized and detained two soldiers. Six more soldiers are being questioned over the incident, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was “completely inconsistent with the expected values” of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
On Wednesday, Italian peacekeepers escorted the Vatican’s ambassador to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, to the Christian-majority village of Debel, where he was greeted by church bells and applause.
The small village in southern Lebanon has been largely cut off from the rest of Lebanon by a two-month war between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah.
Debel is one of 55 towns and villages in Lebanon currently occupied by Israeli forces, located four miles west of Bint Jbeir, which the IDF believes to be a Hezbollah stronghold and the site of recent fighting.
Residents of Debel say the Israeli military has restricted almost all movement to and from the village.
About 1,600 people remain in Debel, including 500 children, down from its pre-war population of about 4,000.
Italian peacekeepers replace Jesus statue destroyed by Israeli soldiers
Italian peacekeepers replace Jesus statue destroyed by Israeli soldiers
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Milia Luka, who fled Debel to Beirut two weeks ago, said internet connectivity in her village was limited and not enough food and medicine had been brought in.
“We go to sleep scared because we don’t know what’s going to happen,” she says.
Two members of Luka’s family have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since the war began.
On Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked Italian peacekeepers, saying, “The image of the statue handed over to the community and placed in the very place where the statue that was destroyed by IDF soldiers a few days ago once stood is heartwarming and sends a powerful message of hope, dialogue and peace.”
Debel’s Catholic parish priest, Father Fadi Fellehri, echoed that sentiment, telling CNN that the gift of the new statue provides much-needed hope to residents traumatized by weeks of fighting in the neighborhood.
“We accepted (Israel’s) apology because we hope it will make things easier for us and make us feel less stifled.”
The replacement statue of Jesus will be installed in a garden on the outskirts of the village where the original statue stood. Another cross, given in its place by Israel, was donated to the local parish.
Regarding the Israeli soldiers who destroyed the statue, Ferehri told CNN he will continue to spread the Christian message of forgiveness.
“We are children of peace and children of forgiveness, just as Jesus said when he was crucified, ‘God, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'”
