RAMALLAH, (PIC)
Palestinian pastor Munder Isaac has called for directing anger towards attacks on civilians and the widespread destruction in Gaza and Lebanon, rather than the destruction of a statue of Jesus by an Israeli soldier.
Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Ramallah, made the remarks in a post on the social media platform X on Monday.
“The outrage shouldn’t be about a destroyed statue of Jesus, abhorrent as that is,” Isaac wrote.
“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.
Footage circulated Sunday showed an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus with a hammer in the southern Lebanese town of Debel, sparking widespread local and international outrage and condemnation from religious and political figures.
Catholic Church leaders in Occupied 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.
