The Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry was disgusted and appalled by reports of an IDF soldier des­troy­ing a statue of Jesus in Southern Lebanon, an image of which was cir­cu­lated on social media this week..

“There is no jus­ti­fic­a­tion for this kind of behaviour, which desec­rates a religious icon and damages social cohesion amongst minority groups in Israel, as well as bringing shame on those respons­ible,” commented ECAJ President Daniel Aghion.

He added, “It is therefore highly appro­pri­ate that the IDF acted swiftly to remove from duty both the soldier who attacked the statue and his colleague who filmed this heinous act of vandalism.

“The two have been sentenced to 30 days in a military prison, under­lin­ing the army’s assertion that their ‘conduct com­pletely deviated from IDF orders and values’.”

It is under­stood that the army has also now replaced the statue.

According to the IDF, six other soldiers who were standing by while the vandalism was taking place have been summoned to explain them­selves “after which further command-level measures will be determ­ined”.

Mr Aghion said, “As well as welcoming the IDF’s zero tolerance policy towards this kind of behaviour, we are also pleased that the Israeli gov­ern­ment has expressed its dismay and sorrow, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he is ‘stunned and saddened’ by the incident and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar issuing an apology ‘to every Christian whose feelings were hurt’.”