IDF sentences soldiers to military prison over desecration of Virgin Mary statue in southern Lebanon

The IDF announced Monday that a soldier filmed posing with a statue of the Virgin Mary with a cigarette placed in its mouth in southern Lebanon has been sentenced to 21 days in military detention, while the soldier who filmed the incident received a 14-day sentence.

The incident was investigated by field commanders and summarized by the commander of Division 162. The IDF said it "views the incident with great severity and respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as the holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities." The IDF spokesperson added that "procedures regarding conduct towards religious institutions and religious symbols are systematically clarified to the forces before their entry into the relevant areas."

In a separate but related incident, a soldier filmed smashing a statue of Jesus and the soldier who filmed him were both removed from combat and sentenced to 30 days in military prison. Six additional soldiers who witnessed the incident and did not intervene were summoned for clarification discussions, after which a decision on further disciplinary action will be made. The IDF's Northern Command sent the Christian community in southern Lebanon a new statue to replace the one that was vandalized.