Uproar over an Israeli soldier destroying a statue of Jesus: What are some lessons we can learn?

By Jonathan Feldstein, Op-ed contributor Saturday, April 25, 2026

In times of prolonged conflict, perspective can be hard to maintain. After more than two and a half years of war involving Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iran, we have grown accustomed to a constant stream of accusations, images and narratives. There is often a reflex to condemn Israel over any allegation, whether true or false.

Our experience has shown that not every viral image or report reflects reality, and judgment is sometimes best reserved until the facts are clear — even if the judges, juries and executioners have already rendered their verdict: Israel guilty.

It was in this spirit that initial reports surfaced of an Israeli soldier destroying a statue of Jesus in a Christian village in southern Lebanon. At first glance, it seemed plausible that the image might be another piece of misinformation, designed to inflame tensions and deepen hostility toward Israel.

Unfortunately, further details showed the incident was indeed real.

People quickly seized on the incident as fresh “proof” of Israeli “ethnic cleansing,” “persecution of Christians,” and other familiar accusations. For those already looking for reasons to blame Israel, it’s a welcome fuel for an existing fire. However, for most Israelis — especially those of us who work to build bridges with Christians — it’s a shameful act that deserved the widespread condemnation it received.

The good news is that within a day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) investigated the incident, removed two soldiers from combat duty, sentenced them to jail, disciplined others who were present and restored the statue in coordination with the local Christian community.

Still, the incident is troubling on multiple levels. It involved not only the destruction of private property but also the desecration of a religious symbol sacred to millions. And even setting aside the moral offense, one would think that in a war against Islamic terrorists in Lebanon, these soldiers had better things to do.

For those of us who work to foster Jewish-Christian understanding, this incident is especially painful. But even beyond interfaith relations, the behavior was a clear violation of basic moral and ethical standards. No justification can make such conduct acceptable.

At the same time, the response offers an important counterpoint. The IDF acknowledged the incident and addressed it immediately, signaling that the act does not reflect Israeli values. As much as I condemn what happened, I am encouraged by the broad response, which reinforced the principle that wrongdoing must be confronted. That willingness to admit fault and pursue accountability is, for many, a defining strength — especially in contrast to actors in the region who rarely acknowledge their own abuses, much less the widespread persecution of Christians elsewhere in the broader Islamic world.

Many Christian friends have asked how and why this could happen. The episode highlights deeper gaps in understanding that extend beyond a single soldier. Most Israelis, for instance, have little or no direct interaction with Christians, whether locally or globally. Despite the growing number of Christian Israelis serving in the IDF, and despite strong political and spiritual support from Christian communities worldwide, these relationships often remain abstract.

More often than not, when Christians come to Israel and connect with the land, that experience runs parallel to Israeli society rather than through meaningful engagement with it. Although Israel’s Christian population is the only one in the Middle East able to practice and worship freely — and the only one growing annually — most Israelis have never met a Christian.

When I speak in churches and before Christian groups, I often explain another part of this reality. We are a people who still celebrate our liberation and exodus from Egypt 3,500 years ago. For Israelis who do not know Christians personally, who do not have the kind of substantial relationships I do, and who do not understand the depth of Christian support for Israel, the dominant historical memory of Christianity is different: persecution of Jews in the name of Jesus dating back to the early days of the Church, less than 2,000 years ago. Without meaningful connection to Christians today, it is easy for older assumptions to remain in place. Changing those attitudes takes time and intentional effort.

That disconnect contributes to a broader lack of understanding about Christianity, its practices and the meaning of its symbols. To be clear, none of this justifies destroying a statue of Jesus. But a lack of knowledge or relationship can help explain how someone might wrongly think there is nothing wrong with it. I have faced reactions from Jewish acquaintances ranging from negative to openly hostile because of my work building bridges with Christians. I have also seen moments of genuine awakening from others who are eager to understand the reality today and are encouraged by it.

The broader reaction to the incident also revealed a complex dynamic. Many voices, inside and outside Israel, moved quickly to condemn it — an entirely legitimate and necessary response. But others used the event to generalize about Israel or the Jewish people as a whole. That tendency to extrapolate from individual misconduct to collective guilt raises serious questions about fairness and consistency. Honest observers cannot help noticing that similar outrage is often absent when Christians face systemic persecution and violence elsewhere in the world, suggesting a troubling selectivity.

That does not diminish the seriousness of what happened in Lebanon, nor should it. But credibility in the pursuit of justice requires the same willingness to confront abuses regardless of the perpetrator or context. If someone is outraged by the destruction of a statue of Jesus by an Israeli soldier, yet says nothing about the widespread, state-sponsored persecution of Christians elsewhere in the broader Islamic world, that response reveals more hostility toward the Jewish state than concern for Christians’ well-being.

Ultimately, the distinction between individual actions and national policy is crucial. One soldier’s behavior, however disgraceful, does not define an entire nation or its moral framework. At the same time, it does demand introspection and corrective action. The true test of a society lies not in the absence of wrongdoing, but in how it responds when wrongdoing occurs.

Painful as this moment is, it also presents an opportunity. It can serve as a catalyst for deeper dialogue, stronger interfaith relationships and more robust ethical standards within institutions. It can encourage both Israelis and Christian allies to move beyond assumptions and engage one another more directly and respectfully. Even among Christians quick to malign Israel, this can become an opening for honest conversation.

Neither the destruction of the statue nor the attempt to use it to defame Israel can be undone. But what follows — accountability, reflection and renewed commitment — will determine whether it remains an isolated act of shame or becomes the foundation for something better.

The goal is not merely to prevent future incidents but to foster genuine understanding rooted in mutual respect. Please join me in that effort.