Desecration of Christian statues in Debel

In April and May 2026, Israeli soldiers were photographed desecrating Christian statues in Debel, a primarily Maronite Christian village in southern Lebanon. In April 2026, a soldier was photographed striking a fallen crucifix of Jesus with a blunt tool in a private garden; the image circulated online and the Israel Defense Forces said it was investigating. The soldier who damaged the crucifix and the one who photographed him were both removed from combat and jailed for 30 days. In May 2026, a photograph circulated showing a soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in the same village; the IDF again said it had identified the soldier and would investigate. The soldier responsible for placing the cigarette was later jailed for 21 days, and the one who photographed him for 14 days. Both incidents drew condemnation from Israeli officials, religious leaders, and foreign governments.

Background

Debel is a Maronite Christian village in southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel, described by local clergy and residents as a predominantly Christian community. It was one of the few villages in southern Lebanon where residents remained during the Israeli military campaign against Hezbollah, which began on 2 March 2026 after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel. Israeli forces took control of the area during the 2026 Lebanon war and remained there after a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was announced in April 2026; Reuters reported that Debel was among dozens of villages in southern Lebanon that remained under Israeli military control following the truce.

Houssam Naddaf, whose family owned the crucifix damaged in the first incident, told the Associated Press (AP) that he could not visit the property because of movement restrictions imposed by Israeli forces in the area.