Working in public relations for the IDF must be the easiest job in the world. Launch missiles at a hospital? Uh, Hamas was hiding underneath it. Your troops posing on social media with lingerie stolen from houses in Gaza? Boys will be boys! 4K footage emerges of IDF troops executing civilians? That mother and child were terrorists!
What makes their jobs so straighforward is that the vast majority of American media outlets will unquestioningly swallow this nonsense and repeat it as fact. All of which means that when the IDF actually holds its hands up and admits fault, we should pay attention.
Lebanon |
— Younis Tirawi | يونس (@ytirawi) April 19, 2026
An Israeli soldier smashing the head of a Jesus Christ statue during operations in southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/Sj1m16tj9q
Yesterday, a photograph emerged from southern Lebanon showing an IDF soldier smashing the head of a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer. Israeli defenders immediately theorized that this was faked, or AI-generated by someone with an axe to grind against the IDF.
But no, this really was an IDF soldier literally attacking Christ. Oops.
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.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 19, 2026
The IDF views the incident with great… https://t.co/U6P3x8KWBb
“The IDF views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops. 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.”
The IDF is absolutely right to take this seriously. Israel’s defence and future as a nation is grounded in financial and military support from American Christians, so their troops being pictured gleefully attacking Christ is… not a good look. Much more like this, and there may be serious questions as to why the United States is sending them hundreds of billions of dollars.
“Grave and disgraceful”
The pitch-black irony at the core of this is that this is, ultimately, an attack on an inanimate object. Attacks on flesh and blood medics, aid workers, and schoolchildren? Bombing schools, hospitals, refugee camps? Snipers indiscriminately shooting civilians who cross an invisible line? All that’s apparently a-okay. But damaging a statue? Something must be done!
Gideon Sa’ar, Israel’s foreign minister, has even stepped in to criticize this soldier, apologizing “to every Christian”:
The damaging of a Christian religious symbol by an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon is grave and disgraceful.
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) April 20, 2026
I commend the IDF for its statement,
for condemning the incident, and for conducting an investigation into the matter. I’m confident that the necessary strict measures…
“The damaging of a Christian religious symbol by an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon is grave and disgraceful. I commend the IDF for its statement, for condemning the incident, and for conducting an investigation into the matter.
I’m confident that the necessary strict measures will be taken against whoever carried out this ugly act. This shameful action is completely contrary to our values. Israel is a country that respects the different religions and their sacred symbols, and upholds tolerance and respect among faiths. We apologize for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”
Hopefully, some new directives are going out to the IDF troops invading southern Lebanon: Keep up the good work on terrorizing and murdering innocent civilians, but maybe hold off on the smashing up images of Christ. Or, if you really can’t control yourself, at least don’t take photos! Or, if you have to take photos, don’t post them online!
Published: Apr 20, 2026 05:19 am