Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to X on April 20, 2026, to address the viral video of an IDF soldier smashing the head off a Jesus statue in southern Lebanon, stating he was “stunned and saddened” while insisting that “all religions flourish in our land.” The statement landed less than 24 hours after the photograph that depicted a soldier swinging a sledgehammer at the statue racked up more than five million views and triggered intense global backlash.
Netanyahu’s post opened with a quick nod to Jewish values of “tolerance and mutual respect,” then pivoted to condemnation. He labeled the incident “damage to a Catholic religious icon,” promised a criminal probe, and vowed “appropriately harsh disciplinary action.”
