An IDF soldier who was seen in a photo placing a cigarette into the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary, in a Christian village in southern Lebanon, has been sentenced to 21 days in jail.
The IDF says the incident in the village of Debel was investigated by the commander of the 162nd Division, Brig. Gen. Sagiv Dahan — the officer in charge of the relevant area of southern Lebanon at the time — and he decided to sentence the soldier to three weeks in military prison.
The soldier who took the photograph was sentenced to two weeks, the IDF says.
The military says it views the incident “gravely, and respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities.”
“Procedures regarding conduct toward religious institutions and religious symbols are routinely clarified to forces before entering the relevant areas,” the military adds.
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 11, 2026
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