The Israeli military has sentenced two soldiers to prison after they were involved in the desecration of a Christian religious statue in southern Lebanon.
According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), one soldier received a three-week prison sentence after placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary, while another soldier who filmed the incident was sentenced to two weeks in military prison.
IDF spokesperson Ariella Mazor said the military views the incident “with great severity” and stressed that Israel respects religious freedom and holy sites of all faiths.
The incident comes just weeks after two other Israeli soldiers were sentenced to 30 days in prison following a separate case in which a statue of Jesus was smashed with a sledgehammer while another soldier recorded the act.
Videos from both incidents sparked international condemnation and renewed criticism over the treatment of religious symbols during regional tensions.