Palestinian pastor urges focus on civilian deaths in Gaza, Lebanon after statue incident

Palestinian pastor Munther Isaac called for directing anger toward attacks on civilians and widespread destruction in Gaza and Lebanon, rather than focusing solely on the destruction of a statue of Jesus by an Israeli soldier.

Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Ramallah, said in a post on US social media platform X that "The outrage shouldn't be about a destroyed statue of Jesus—abhorrent as that is."

"The real outrage is the targeting of civilians, the assault on human dignity, the devastation in Gaza and Lebanon. War is evil. We need Accountability," he added in the post Monday.

Footage circulated Sunday showing an Israeli soldier using a hammer to smash a statue of Jesus in the southern Lebanese town of Dibel, sparking widespread local and international outrage and condemnation from religious and political figures.

Catholic church leaders in Jerusalem condemned the act in a statement on Monday, calling it a serious violation of Christian religious values and demanding accountability.

Israel's public broadcaster reported that the soldier would not face a criminal investigation and would instead be subject to disciplinary measures.

The Israeli army said in a statement it views the incident with utmost seriousness and that the soldier's conduct contradicts the values expected of its troops.

Israel has carried out a military offensive in Lebanon since March 2, soon after start of the Iran war, killing 2,294 people, injuring 7,544 and displacing more than 1 million, according to official figures. A 10-day ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump and took effect Thursday evening, but violations have continued.