ROME, April 23 (Reuters) – Italian UN peacekeepers have replaced the statue of Jesus Christ vandalised by Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday.
A photo showing the desecration of a crucifix smashed in the village of Debel drew widespread condemnation this week. The two soldiers involved have been removed from combat duty and placed in detention for 30 days.
“I would like to thank Commander Diodato Abagnara and the entire Italian UNIFIL contingent for deciding to donate a new crucifix to the Lebanese village of Debel,” Meloni said in a statement.
“The images of the statue being handed over to the community and placed in the very spot where the statue destroyed a few days ago by an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldier once stood are heart-warming and send a powerful message of hope, dialogue and peace,” she added.
(Reporting by Angelo AmanteEditing by Rod Nickel)
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