Israeli soldier desecrates Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon

A viral image of an Israeli soldier desecrating a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon has sparked outrage worldwide.

Published by the Israeli Genocide Tracker on Wednesday, the photo shows the occupation’s soldier smoking a cigarette while placing another in the mouth of the Virgin Mary statue in a Christian village in Lebanon.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN said the regime’s military confirmed that “the matter is under review.”

The derogatory act comes amid a series of Israeli attacks against Christians and Muslims, as well as their religious symbols and sites, both in the occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon.

Last week, an extremist Israeli settler pushed, shoved, and thrown a French nun to the ground in the occupied al-Quds. He then returned and stepped on the injured nun.

Anger erupts after Israeli soldier smashes statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon

A viral picture showing an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer during an offensive in southern Lebanon sparks outrage.

Archbishop Atallah Hanna, head of the Sebastia of the Greek Orthodox Church in al-Quds, warned that such assaults “are no longer isolated incidents, but part of a recurring pattern that threatens the Christian presence.”

Last month, an image of an Israeli soldier hitting a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon prompted widespread condemnations.

Multiple incidents of Israeli settlers spitting on churches and clergy in the occupied al-Quds have also been documented.

Organized Israeli settler violence against Christians hits new high: Report

Israeli settler attacks targeting Christians and non-Jewish communities in occupied al-Quds have significantly increased, according to a report.

Israeli authorities have been criticized for failing to stop such attacks, which have increased since the regime launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

Since then, violence by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank has killed at least 1,155 Palestinians, wounded around 11,750, and led to the abduction of about 22,000 others.

In the same period, the Israeli regime has killed at least 72,500 Palestinians and injured more than 172,400 others in Gaza.

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