US Senator Confronts Netanyahu: Sadness Over Christ Statue Not Enough
In a video message shared on X, the US social media platform, Van Hollen took aim at Netanyahu's recent public response to a widely circulated incident in which an Israeli soldier was filmed defacing a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon — an act the Israeli army has since confirmed.
Netanyahu had condemned the incident early Monday, claiming Israel "respects all religions."
But Van Hollen argued that sympathy without accountability rang hollow. "The Prime Minister Netanyahu said he was saddened by the images of an Israeli soldier defacing a statute of Christ in southern Lebanon. But is he also saddened by the constant pressures put on the Christian community in Jerusalem and the outright attacks from violent settlers against the Christian village of Taybeh in the West Bank?" he asked.
The senator drew on a personal visit to the Palestinian village of Taybeh last August, made in the immediate aftermath of what he described as a settler attack, to press his case — and leveled a pointed allegation at Israeli forces.
"I visited that village last August, just after one of the attacks had been launched against it, and the IDF (Israeli military) often provides cover to these violent settlers who are attacking villages, including the Christian village of Taybeh."
Van Hollen then issued a direct challenge to the Israeli prime minister to translate grief into genuine intervention.
"Maybe Prime Minister Netanyahu should be saddened about those attacks, and not just saddened, but actually do something about the attacks by violent settlers against a Christian village like Taybeh or other places throughout the West Bank.
"Expressing sadness is fine, but it's not enough," he said.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
