{"id":2593064,"date":"2026-04-20T22:11:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T02:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/idf-takes-quick-action-after-soldier-caught-smashing-statue-of-jesus-in-lebanon\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T22:14:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T02:14:13","slug":"idf-takes-quick-action-after-soldier-caught-smashing-statue-of-jesus-in-lebanon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/idf-takes-quick-action-after-soldier-caught-smashing-statue-of-jesus-in-lebanon\/","title":{"rendered":"IDF Takes Quick Action After Soldier Caught Smashing Statue of Jesus in Lebanon"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fidf-takes-quick-action-after-soldier-caught-smashing-statue-of-jesus-in-lebanon%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2593064&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The piece centers on an incident in which an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier is photographed damaging a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon, and the swift response from the IDF and Israeli leadership. The IDF announced an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-surprising-risk-factor-of-coronary-heart-disease\/\" title=\"A Surprising Risk Factor of Coronary Heart Disease\">initial examination<\/a> found the soldier acting in southern Lebanon, described the conduct as severe and wholly inconsistent with the values of its troops, and said the matter is being investigated by the Northern Command with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/college-scales-back-bias-response-teams-after-legal-challenge\/\" title=\"College Scales Back \u2018Bias Response\u2019 Teams After Legal Challenge\">disciplinary actions<\/a> to follow as warranted. The IDF also stated it would help restore the statue and reaffirmed its aim to dismantle Hezbollah\u2019s infrastructure while stressing it does not intend to harm civilian or religious sites.<\/p>\n<p>Further coverage includes statements from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemning the act,indicating a criminal probe was underway and promising harsh disciplinary action,while highlighting Israel\u2019s protections for religious freedom and the flourishing of all faiths within the country. The article notes supportive voices, such as Joel Rosenberg, who stressed that the condemnation did not reflect the views of most Israelis. It also surveys American public opinion on Israel, citing Pew Research data that shows a notable share of Americans hold negative views of Israel, with younger adults more skeptical and political affiliations influencing perceptions (NBC News polling showing democrats more negative and Republicans more favorable). The piece concludes that the IDF and Netanyahu\u2019s swift handling of the incident aligns with maintaining strong ties with Christian communities in the U.S. and around the world.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Israel Defense Forces wisely promised swift accountability for the actions of one of their soldiers captured in a photograph taking a sledgehammer to a statue of Jesus Christ in Lebanon.<\/p>\n<p>The IDF posted on social media Sunday, &ldquo;Following the completion of an initial examination regarding a photograph published earlier today of an IDF soldier harming a Christian symbol, it was determined that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The IDF views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier&rsquo;s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops,&rdquo; the statement continued.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being addressed through the chain of command. Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings. Furthermore, the IDF is working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place,&rdquo; the IDF said<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The IDF is operating to dismantle the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >terrorist infrastructure established<\/a> by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadAnyclip() { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst container=document.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!container) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=\"https:\/\/player.anyclip.com\/anyclip-widget\/lre-widget\/prod\/v1\/src\/lre.js\"; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.setAttribute(\"pubname\", \"westernjournalcom\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.setAttribute(\"widgetname\", \"001w000001jULVcAAO_M12924\");  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ append inside the container so player shows in correct spot \t\t\t\t\t\tcontainer.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadAnyclip(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #anyclipvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#anyclipvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Following the completion of an initial examination regarding a photograph published earlier today of an IDF soldier harming a Christian symbol, it was determined that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n<p>The IDF views the incident with great&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/U6P3x8KWBb\">https:\/\/t.co\/U6P3x8KWBb<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IDF\/status\/2045973415643767091?\">April 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reinforced what the IDF said, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/netanyahu\/status\/2046166181258650016\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posting<\/a> Monday on X, &ldquo;Yesterday, like the overwhelming majority of Israelis, I was stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon. I condemn the act in the strongest terms. Military authorities are conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uk-govt-lockdown-to-last-12-months-expect-repeated-vaccinations\/\" title=\"UK Govt: Lockdown to Last 12+ Months, Expect Repeated Vaccinations\">prime minister<\/a> also noted that Israel allows for religious freedom, unlike many other nations in the region. &ldquo;All religions flourish in our land and we view members of all faiths as equals in building our society and region,&rdquo; he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;While Christians are being slaughtered in Syria and Lebanon by Muslims, the Christian population in Israel thrives unlike elsewhere in the Middle East. Israel is the only country in the region that the Christian population and standard of living is growing. Israel is the only place in the Middle East that adheres to freedom of worship for all. We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world,&rdquo; Netanyahu concluded.<\/p>\n<p>Jerusalem-based journalist Joel Rosenberg thanked Netanyahu, adding, &ldquo;As an Israeli Evangelical, I can attest that this incident does NOT reflect the values or morals of the vast, vast majority of Israelis.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Thank you, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IsraeliPM?\">@IsraeliPM<\/a> @Netantahu, for condemning this soldier&rsquo;s despicable behavior towards a statue of Christ in southern Lebanon. As an Israeli Evangelical, I can attest that this incident does NOT reflect the values or morals of the vast, vast majority of Israelis. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/gidonsaar?\">@gidonsaar<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/U0pff8wssR\">https:\/\/t.co\/U0pff8wssR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JoelCRosenberg\/status\/2046177433544540411?\">April 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Rosenberg, who is a dual U.S.\/Israeli citizen, is representative of white evangelical Protestants, who have the most favorable view of Israel among the American electorate at 65 percent support, with those who adhere to the Jewish faith coming in close behind at 64 percent, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2026\/04\/07\/negative-views-of-israel-netanyahu-continue-to-rise-among-americans-especially-young-people\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pew Research Center<\/a> poll published this month.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, 60 percent of U.S. adults have a negative view of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/poll-americas-support-israel-plunges-independents-democrats-sympathize-palestinians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Israel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2026-election\/poll-israels-standing-plummets-democrats-fueling-primaries-left-rcna262995\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NBC News survey<\/a> published last <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-karine-jean-pierre-listens-as-reporter-recounts-bidens-physical-decline-for-90-seconds\/\" title=\"WATCH: Karine Jean-Pierre Listens as Reporter Recounts Biden\u2019s Physical Decline for 90 Seconds\">month found 57 percent<\/a> of Democrats view Israel negatively, while 54 percent of Republicans view the Jewish state positively.<\/p>\n<p>Among American voters ages 18-34, 63 percent have a negative view of Israel, contrasted with those ages 35-49, when the number drops to 43 percent, and 50-64, where it is 30 percent. Only 21 percent of Americans 65 and older have a negative view of Israel.<\/p>\n<p>So the IDF and Netanyahu are wise to jump quickly on the Jesus statue-destroying incident. Christians are the best friends Israel has in America, and likely around the world.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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After an initial review, they determined the image depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon. The IDF condemned the act as highly serious and inconsistent with the values of its troops, noted that the incident is being investigated by the Northern Command, and said appropriate disciplinary measures would be taken based on the findings. The IDF also stated it would help restore the statue and emphasized that it is working to dismantle Hezbollah\u2019s terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon and does not intend to harm civilian infrastructure or religious buildings or symbols.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the condemnation, stating that a criminal probe is underway and that offenders will face harsh disciplinary action. He underscored Israel\u2019s commitment to religious freedom, noting that all religions flourish in the country and that Christians in Israel are thriving, unlike in some neighboring regions. He expressed regret for the incident and for any distress caused to Christians in Lebanon and around the world. Jerusalem-based journalist Joel Rosenberg, an Israeli-American evangelical, said the incident does not reflect the values or morals of most Israelis.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The piece cites Pew Research Center data on American views of Israel: white evangelical Protestants are among the most supportive (about 65%), with Jews in the U.S. close behind (about 64%). It also cites broader U.S. opinions, noting that overall about 60% of U.S. adults view Israel negatively. NBC News surveys have shown a partisan split, with more Democrats viewing Israel negatively and more Republicans viewing it positively. Among U.S. voters aged 18-34, about 63% hold a negative view, while older age groups show somewhat lower negativity.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019d like, I can tailor this to be shorter (a one-paragraph summary) or expand it with additional details from the text<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2593065,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Netanyahu-condemns-vandalism.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[26585,50471,23728,7457,16384],"class_list":["post-2593064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-idf","tag-jesus-2","tag-lebanon","tag-statue","tag-vandalism"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Netanyahu-condemns-vandalism.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2593064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2593064"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2593064\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2593068,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2593064\/revisions\/2593068"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2593065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2593064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2593064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2593064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}