An Israeli soldier decided, on his own initiative, to destroy a statue of Jesus Christ in the Christian village of Debel in southern Lebanon. The action of one man is not perceived by the international public as individual misconduct, but is immediately projected onto Israel as a whole—onto the army, the state, and the people.
Such behavior clearly contradicts the official values of the Israeli army and also Israel’s self-understanding as a state that protects religious freedom and respects holy sites. That is precisely why Israeli authorities responded with condemnation, apology, and the announcement of disciplinary consequences. But the media damage often comes faster than any investigation or correction. For the international public, Israel’s self-correction is unimportant; what remains is the image of a hammer against a statue of Christ. In social networks and international commentary, this quickly revived an old hostile image—as though “the Jews were once again striking and crucifying the Savior.” Such interpretations show how quickly historical resentments can be attached to current images. From an Israeli perspective, the incident was therefore not only a disciplinary...
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