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Conflict in the Middle East
Firetreev · Today 04:31

Twiglets1 · 20/04/2026 08:19

Agreed. The incident was shameful but I don't think the IDF could have done more at this stage to condemn it than what they have already done:

The Israeli army said it viewed the incident with “great severity”, adding that the “soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops”.

“Following the completion of an initial examination regarding a photograph published earlier today of an IDF soldier harming a Christian symbol, it was determined that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon,” it said in a post on X.

The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and “addressed through the chain of command”, the military added.

It said that “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved” but did not go into further detail.

The army said that it was working with the community to “restore the statue to its place”.

www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/20/image-soldier-striking-jesus-christ-statue-israel/

They're only saying this because American Christians are up in arms about it. I genuinely don't think they give two hoots.

Firetreev · Today 04:37

Boolabus · 21/04/2026 09:46

People have and do condemn Hamas, good to see you view the acts of the IDF as equal in depravity to those of Hamas

This. Hamas are dreadful abhorrent human beings, but so are many IDF soldiers. People always say 'yeah yeah yeah, but Hamas'. Do the IDF not strive to be better than terrorists? Honestly, they're just as bad if not worse as they do what they do from a place of strength. They are the Goliath in this situation.

Twiglets1 · Today 07:20

Firetreev · Today 04:37

This. Hamas are dreadful abhorrent human beings, but so are many IDF soldiers. People always say 'yeah yeah yeah, but Hamas'. Do the IDF not strive to be better than terrorists? Honestly, they're just as bad if not worse as they do what they do from a place of strength. They are the Goliath in this situation.

Of course most of the IDF will strive to be better than terrorists.

As has been mentioned already (and is obvious anyway) all armies have their share of "bad apples". The soldiers responsible for this incident have been identified and punished.

Somehow the IDF are uniquely expected to have no bad apples, I don't know why.

GentleSheep · Today 07:55

maudelovesharold · Yesterday 13:30

Most of the conflicts I assume you’re referring to, are civil wars, save the Russia/Ukraine war, where the West has condemned the invasion and placed sanctions on Russia. That doesn’t take away from the horrific impact of conflict on the people of Yemen. Syria, Libya, Myanmar…, but it’s not the same as one of the global military giants, supported fully by another global military giant, unleashing their might on unarmed Palestinian civilians in their own land. Surely you can see the difference? They have razed Gaza to the ground, which is what they set out to do. And they are now attacking the civilian population in Lebanon. They’ve as good as annexed part of Southern Lebanon already.

You realise Hezbollah originally 'annexed' part of Southern Lebanon themselves after they were expelled from Jordan? Then proceeded to start firing missiles at northern Israel, amassing arms (guess where they got those from!) and digging a huge tunnel system. They've pretty much pushed out the original civilians from there so that they can spend their days plotting how to attack Israel. The Lebanese government needs to deal with all this, but they haven't and won't, because they've also been infiltrated by Hezbollah and are actually stronger militarily than the Lebanese army! Gaza was worse because Hamas became the government. If the people were to try to get rid of them, it won't end well and thousands would die, just like in Iran. It's a tragedy.

Like a cancer that spreads through a region you can try to remove these terrorists but they always come back. This is why the US won't be able to get rid of the IRGC in Iran, nor Israel expel Hezbollah from Lebanon, because these groups are set up in a way so they regenerate, even if a 'military giant' tries to wipe them out. That's their strength. Even if you killed every living person in Lebanon you wouldn't have wiped out the ideology, nor people elsewhere who will one day return and start all over again.

All this killing is abhorrent, but I will by no means say Israel is somehow 'worse' than these truly awful terrorist groups (which seems to be the majority view on this forum), who hold entire populations hostage with their threats and teach young children hatred, because if these groups have their way, they will destroy Israel and kill all Jews (they've said that's their goal!). Don't think they won't come for us Western infidels next. So what should Israel do? No easy solution to be found. What do you think they should do?

maudelovesharold · Today 11:16

GentleSheep · Today 07:55

You realise Hezbollah originally 'annexed' part of Southern Lebanon themselves after they were expelled from Jordan? Then proceeded to start firing missiles at northern Israel, amassing arms (guess where they got those from!) and digging a huge tunnel system. They've pretty much pushed out the original civilians from there so that they can spend their days plotting how to attack Israel. The Lebanese government needs to deal with all this, but they haven't and won't, because they've also been infiltrated by Hezbollah and are actually stronger militarily than the Lebanese army! Gaza was worse because Hamas became the government. If the people were to try to get rid of them, it won't end well and thousands would die, just like in Iran. It's a tragedy.

Like a cancer that spreads through a region you can try to remove these terrorists but they always come back. This is why the US won't be able to get rid of the IRGC in Iran, nor Israel expel Hezbollah from Lebanon, because these groups are set up in a way so they regenerate, even if a 'military giant' tries to wipe them out. That's their strength. Even if you killed every living person in Lebanon you wouldn't have wiped out the ideology, nor people elsewhere who will one day return and start all over again.

All this killing is abhorrent, but I will by no means say Israel is somehow 'worse' than these truly awful terrorist groups (which seems to be the majority view on this forum), who hold entire populations hostage with their threats and teach young children hatred, because if these groups have their way, they will destroy Israel and kill all Jews (they've said that's their goal!). Don't think they won't come for us Western infidels next. So what should Israel do? No easy solution to be found. What do you think they should do?

For starters, I think the IDF should not deliberately attack civilians or target children. The IDF has no moral compass. Even armies need a moral compass. They use young boys as target practice, with doctors of all nationalities including US and British medics testifying to the phenomenon of ‘cluster’ injuries - noticing children, dead and alive, being brought in, all with injuries to the same part of the body on the same days. Monday legs, Tuesday, backs, Wednesday heads…They fired on children playing with firecrackers to celebrate Ramadan, killing one of them. They posed no threat. The soldiers knew it was a firework, and couldn’t harm them. They shot a boy in a refugee camp and formed a barrier to prevent paramedics getting to him and watched him bleed to death. Tiny children shot for no reason other than the IDF can do what they want.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cjelp738zd7o?app-referrer=search
The 4 Bakr boys (eldest was 11) killed by a missile fired from a ship when they were playing football on a beach.
These examples are the tiny tip of a very ugly iceberg which has existed for many, many years. And what Israel seems to want is as many dead Palestinians as possible, so don’t lecture me on who has the moral high ground, and that Israel has no choice. We all have a choice, a duty to speak up when wrongs are being committed. Deliberately killing children and innocent civilians is abhorrent, whoever does it, and the IDF is guilty of this on a regular basis. The only reason a fuss has been made about the statue is that Netanyahu is afraid that a picture of a statue of Jesus Christ toppled and being attacked with a sledgehammer would prove to be beyond the limit for some of his allies. Dead and tortured children? Not so much, apparently.

Two girls who have been shot dead in Gaza - both with dark hair and brown eyes, smiling for the camera

Two girls shot in Gaza - BBC pieces together what happened and looks at dozens more child shootings

Layan and Mira were killed in proximity to IDF soldiers - the Israeli military says intentional harm to civilians is prohibited and their cases will be examined by the authorities.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cjelp738zd7o?app-referrer=search

GentleSheep · Today 11:31

maudelovesharold · Today 11:16

For starters, I think the IDF should not deliberately attack civilians or target children. The IDF has no moral compass. Even armies need a moral compass. They use young boys as target practice, with doctors of all nationalities including US and British medics testifying to the phenomenon of ‘cluster’ injuries - noticing children, dead and alive, being brought in, all with injuries to the same part of the body on the same days. Monday legs, Tuesday, backs, Wednesday heads…They fired on children playing with firecrackers to celebrate Ramadan, killing one of them. They posed no threat. The soldiers knew it was a firework, and couldn’t harm them. They shot a boy in a refugee camp and formed a barrier to prevent paramedics getting to him and watched him bleed to death. Tiny children shot for no reason other than the IDF can do what they want.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cjelp738zd7o?app-referrer=search
The 4 Bakr boys (eldest was 11) killed by a missile fired from a ship when they were playing football on a beach.
These examples are the tiny tip of a very ugly iceberg which has existed for many, many years. And what Israel seems to want is as many dead Palestinians as possible, so don’t lecture me on who has the moral high ground, and that Israel has no choice. We all have a choice, a duty to speak up when wrongs are being committed. Deliberately killing children and innocent civilians is abhorrent, whoever does it, and the IDF is guilty of this on a regular basis. The only reason a fuss has been made about the statue is that Netanyahu is afraid that a picture of a statue of Jesus Christ toppled and being attacked with a sledgehammer would prove to be beyond the limit for some of his allies. Dead and tortured children? Not so much, apparently.

Where have I said 'Israel have no choice'? Of course they have a choice. They can fight back or they can just keep sitting and taking it, but both options have heavy consequences. You haven't even acknowleged what Hezbollah have done/are doing - don't you think they are also abhorrent? And Hamas? Also don't forget there's a massive amount of anti-Israel propaganda out there. Massive.

maudelovesharold · Today 11:57

GentleSheep · Today 11:31

Where have I said 'Israel have no choice'? Of course they have a choice. They can fight back or they can just keep sitting and taking it, but both options have heavy consequences. You haven't even acknowleged what Hezbollah have done/are doing - don't you think they are also abhorrent? And Hamas? Also don't forget there's a massive amount of anti-Israel propaganda out there. Massive.

You asked what Israel is supposed to do, as though it has ino real choice. A nation can defend itself without deliberately targeting innocent civilians, and children, which the IDF have done time and time again. You haven’t addressed that.
I said killing innocent civilians and children is abhorrent whoever does it - that includes Hamas and Hezbollah…
On the anti-Israel propaganda front, I think one of the main sources is Israel itself. Some of its actions certainly speak louder than words.

Roystonv · Today 12:06

I was shocked when I saw young Jewish boys spitting on two nuns. Broad daylight, lots of people around and no apology or telling off from the adults with them. This was about 3 years ago.

Francine84 · Today 13:05

Sorry, are we supposed to be surprised that a military group that bombs hospitals, schools, refugee camps and shoots children queuing for water are now destroying a statue of Jesus?

The IOF has always been like this and it will never change. Israel is a rogue state and hopefully people can see that now.

OhWise1 · Today 13:56

childlessbutconcerned · 20/04/2026 07:43

Let’s see if it actually happens.

It’s clearly something that is seen as normal amongst IDF troops, or it wouldn’t have been filmed and posted online.

People are more liky to post something out of the ordinary online, than something which is an everyday occurrence.

maudelovesharold · Today 14:24

OhWise1 · Today 13:56

People are more liky to post something out of the ordinary online, than something which is an everyday occurrence.

An everyday occurrence, or not, it obviously wasn’t considered controversial. I doubt an Israeli soldier would film another Israeli soldier desecrating a religious statue, and then post it online, if there were any expectation that it would get him and his comrade into trouble. That indicates to me that they thought it was acceptable and would be viewed positively. And no doubt it was, among their target audience. Probably took them both by surprise that there’s been a fuss about it, and that only happened because Netanyahu suddenly realised it might upset his greatest source of support.

Martymcfly24 · Today 18:19

maudelovesharold · Today 14:24

An everyday occurrence, or not, it obviously wasn’t considered controversial. I doubt an Israeli soldier would film another Israeli soldier desecrating a religious statue, and then post it online, if there were any expectation that it would get him and his comrade into trouble. That indicates to me that they thought it was acceptable and would be viewed positively. And no doubt it was, among their target audience. Probably took them both by surprise that there’s been a fuss about it, and that only happened because Netanyahu suddenly realised it might upset his greatest source of support.

It's a long line of using social media like this. The pictures of IDF soldiers mocking Palestinian womens underwear was a low.

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