IDF Soldier Seen Smoking Virgin Mary Statue, Sparking Lebanese Christian Outcry
Photos circulated showing an IDF soldier smoking with a cigarette inserted into a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, Lebanon, prompting condemnation from Lebanon’s Christian community; the IDF says the incident is under investigation and it allegedly occurred weeks ago but was only posted recently. The episode follows an April Debel incident where a soldier smashed a Jesus statue and was punished, along with other controversies in the village, fueling tensions between Israeli forces and local Christians.