Over 150 Jewish leaders around the world from multiple denominations condemned an IDF soldier’s damaging of a Jesus statue in Lebanon in an open letter on Sunday, calling it a desecration of God’s name and apologizing to the global Christian community.
Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform rabbis and other Jewish leaders signed the letter organized by Israel365 Action – which builds bridges between evangelical Christians and Jewish communities – in response to the viral photograph of an IDF soldier smashing a fallen Jesus statue with a sledgehammer in a Christian village in southern Lebanon.
“This act is a chillul Hashem — a desecration of God’s name. It is an affront to the ancient Christian communities of the Middle East and to Christians all over the world. It is a vile betrayal of the Jewish values upon which the State of Israel was founded. And it is a wound inflicted upon the fragile Jewish-Christian friendship that is more important than ever,” the letter read.
“Israel is a nation confronting enemies who seek its destruction, and it is precisely in such moments that moral clarity matters most,” it added.
The letter argued that Jews knew what it was like to have their sacred spaces violated and that the incident did not reflect the values of the vast majority of Israelis.
The signatories acknowledged how damaging this could be for Jewish-Christian relations and that it was a tragedy that some Israelis were unaware of how much many Christians appreciated Israel and the Jewish people.
“As Jewish leaders, we apologize to the Christian community for this repulsive act and renew our commitment to stand for the sanctity of all holy places and sacred symbols – for that is what our Torah demands, and because that is the only foundation upon which lasting peace in this region, precious to all monotheistic faiths, can flourish,” the letter ended.
Israel365 founder Rabbi Tuly Weisz said in a statement that, as someone who worked closely with pro-Israel Christians every day, he was appalled by the disrespect the act showed to some of the Jewish state’s closest friends.
In a Monday video statement, Israel365 Executive Director Rabbi Pesach Wolicki warned that what happened in Debel was not just offensive but strategically catastrophic.
It came on the heels of police officers preventing Jerusalem Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre due to wartime restrictions. Smaller “thuggish, deviant incidents” in Israel targeting Christian symbols had already damaged the bonds between believers of the two faiths, according to Wolicki.
Another signatory to the letter, Ohr Torah Stone President and Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, issued a separate statement on Monday, arguing that such “acts of desecration contradict the values of the IDF and the teachings of Judaism, which demand respect for all people and all expressions of faith.”
Brander welcomed the IDF’s decision to investigate the incident and help the Christian community restore the statue.
“It is a reminder that true strength is measured not only on the battlefield, but also in the ability to confront wrongdoing, uphold Torah values, and act with integrity in the most complex circumstances,” Brander noted.
Statue of Jesus defaced by IDF soldier
On Tuesday, the soldier who damaged the statue and the soldier who photographed the incident were both removed from combat roles and sentenced to 30 days of military detention. Six additional soldiers, identified as being present but who did not take any action to stop the defacement, face future “command-level” disciplinary actions.
This followed the Israeli military’s announcement that it had reviewed the photograph circulating online and determined that it was authentic.
“The IDF views the incident with great seriousness and emphasizes that the soldier’s behavior completely deviates from the values expected of its fighters,” said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
“The IDF is working to address the terror infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and has no intention of damaging civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X/Twitter on Sunday that he was stunned by the incident and condemned it. He assured that there would be harsh action against the offender.
“As the Jewish state, Israel cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect between Jews and worshippers of all faiths. All religions flourish in our land, and we view members of all faiths as equals in building our society and region,” Netanyahu said.
“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 where 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.”
It concluded, “We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.”