https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/c55ffdce-6fb7-4d2c-a4e2-4afe2ef6aa97 An image showing an Israeli soldier using a jackhammer to smash a statue of Jesus on a cross in southern Lebanon has gone viral, triggering widespread condemnation and backlash. Members of the Christian community say the statue is in the village of Debel, a Maronite Christian town about six kilometres northwest of Ain Ebel and roughly five kilometres from the Israeli border community of Shtula. The image sparked immediate outrage online, including among some former allies of US President Donald Trump. Under Israeli rule, Christians in Israel and the occupied West Bank have faced a growing wave of attacks, from daily harassment to the destruction of religious sites. Clergy have reported being spat on and physically assaulted, while churches, cemeteries and other Christian symbols have been vandalised. These attacks, often linked to ultra-Orthodox Jews, religious nationalists and settlers, have frequently gone unchecked, with Israeli police accused of failing to intervene. Responding to the latest incident, Israeli officials did not deny the authenticity of the image and claimed the soldier’s conduct is entirely inconsistent with the standards expected of its troops. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:06:20 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://tankie.tube https://tankie.tube/lazy-static/avatars/3ba3ff73-a8b6-49c9-add8-9653ef090c7f.webp https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/c55ffdce-6fb7-4d2c-a4e2-4afe2ef6aa97 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://tankie.tube/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.