• A photo of an Israeli soldier posing with a statue of the Virgin Mary, placing a lit cigarette in its mouth, went viral on social media.
  • The IDF quickly responded, calling the incident very serious and inconsistent with the army’s values.
  • IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said the photo was taken several weeks ago and that disciplinary action will be taken against the soldier.
  • This is not the first such incident; in mid-April, a soldier was filmed smashing a statue of Jesus with a hammer in the Christian village of Debel.
  • The IDF claims to respect religious symbols and holy sites, but critics doubt the effectiveness of the announced disciplinary measures.