Israeli FM apologises to Christians over damaged statue incident in Lebanon

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has apologised to Christians after an IDF soldier damaged a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon.

In a post on Telegram, Sa’ar described the incident as a “grave and disgraceful” event.

“The damaging of a Christian religious symbol by an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon is grave and disgraceful.

I commend the IDF for its statement, for condemning the incident, and for conducting an investigation into the matter. I’m confident that the necessary strict measures will be taken against whoever carried out this ugly act.

This shameful action is completely contrary to our values. Israel is a country that respects the different religions and their sacred symbols, and upholds tolerance and respect among faiths.

We apologize for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt,” he said.

Earlier, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced an investigation after a photo circulated on social media showing an Israeli soldier damaging a statue of the crucified Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon.

By Jeyhun Aghazada