Israel tears down statue of Christian saint in southern Lebanon on Palm Sunday

ISTANBUL

The Israeli army demolished the statue of Saint George in southern Lebanon as Christians were celebrating Palm Sunday, Lebanese media said.

The state news agency NNA said Sunday that the statue was razed in the border town of Yaroun, in the latest violation of the November ceasefire agreement.

"A video showed an Israeli military bulldozer bringing down the statue,” the broadcaster said.

Former Lebanese Labor Minister Moustafa Bayram shared on X a video documenting the moment of demolishing the statue of Saint George by Israeli forces. The exact date of the demolition, however, was not specified.

The Israeli army "shamelessly documented the act, reaffirming its hostility to anything other than itself, and that it is a foreign, occupying entity that has no place among the peoples and communities of this region," he said.

There was no comment from the Israeli army on the report.

Christians worldwide consider Palm Sunday significant as it commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, where he was hailed as a king, according to Christian beliefs.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Lebanon since November 2024, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities have reported over 1,440 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 125 victims and injuries to more than 371.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.