Unfathomable fury of Israelis against Lebanese Christians: Churches looted, sacred relics mocked

The fury of Israelis against the Christians of Lebanon is unfathomable, with many displaced people returning to their homes only to find their churches looted and destroyed. Although the country's Christian population is primarily concentrated in the mountainous regions north of Beirut, residents from Christian villages in southern Lebanon are returning to find their homes and places of worship ruined or severely damaged.

Debl, a Christian village near the border with Israel, is among the areas hit and became the focus of international attention after the release of a video showing an Israeli soldier destroying a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer. The statue, which had been removed from a cross, sustained severe damage.

The hypocrisy of Netanyahu

The video sparked intense reactions, even from the top of the Israeli leadership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he was "shocked and saddened" by the incident, while the two soldiers involved were removed from their duties and sentenced to 30 days in prison a few days later.

Italian forces from the United Nations mission in Lebanon replaced the destroyed statue with a similar one at the same spot, as confirmed this week by International Christian Concern. At the same time, the Israel Defense Forces posted a photo of a metal cross at a nearby location, presenting it as a replacement and expressing "deep regret" for the incident. However, the cross was not the only object destroyed in recent weeks.

Looting

Speaking to the media, the mayor of Debl, Akl Naddaf, reported that many houses in the village were destroyed, while Israeli soldiers also broke numerous statues of saints found inside the residences. The Maqam Shamoun Al Safa shrine, which is considered the burial place of Saint Peter and is honored by both Christians and Muslims, suffered serious damage from Israeli shelling during an operation in southern Lebanon in 2024.

During the same period, Israeli forces also destroyed the Melkite Catholic Church of St. George in southern Lebanon. The Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue, based in Jerusalem, recorded 155 anti-Christian incidents in Israel in 2025. These include 61 physical attacks against individuals and at least 52 attacks on church property attributed to Israeli Jews.

Fragile political balance

Christians make up approximately 30% to 35% of the Lebanese population and exercise significant political influence in a country that hosts the largest concentration of Christians in the region. Joseph Aoun, a Maronite Christian and former army chief, is the country's current president. He took office in January 2025, securing 99 out of 128 parliamentary votes—a result described by analysts as a "miracle" after nearly three years of political deadlock, partly due to the influence of Hezbollah.

The political system of Lebanon is based on a fragile power-sharing model based on religious identity: the presidency belongs to a Maronite Christian, the premiership to a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of parliament to a Shia Muslim. This framework, established by the National Pact of 1943 and revised by the Taif Agreement, aimed at a balance between Christians and Muslims. However, in recent years, demographic changes and political fragmentation have put pressure on the system, with many Christians expressing concern about the decrease in their representation and influence.

Double front

These tensions are reinforced by the increased role of Hezbollah, a Shia political-military organization supported by Iran. Its military power and political influence often overshadow state institutions, intensifying the concerns of many Christian circles that the balance of power has shifted. At the same time, internal divisions among Christian factions—between those who maintain relations with Hezbollah and those who oppose it—have weakened their overall political voice.

As Lebanon faces new waves of conflict and instability, these long-standing dynamics continue to affect both the governance and the security of Christian communities and their leadership. At the same time, tension remains high in the wider region after weeks of fierce clashes between Iran—with the support of regional allies—and the Israel–US alliance. Although the fragile ceasefire currently limits military operations, deeper social and geopolitical tensions remain active, maintaining the risk of a new flare-up.

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