Beirut: 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 reported that the statue was razed in the border town of Yaroun, marking another violation of the November ceasefire agreement.

According to Anadolu Agency, a video showed an Israeli military bulldozer bringing down the statue, which was widely shared by former Lebanese Labor Minister Moustafa Bayram on the social media platform X. Bayram criticized the act, describing it as a reaffirmation of hostility by the Israeli forces. He termed the Israeli army as a foreign, occupying entity that has no place among the peoples and communities of the region. The Israeli army has not commented on the incident.

Palm Sunday holds significant importance for Christians worldwide as it commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, where he was hailed as a king according to Christian beliefs. The destruction of the statue on such a day has added to the tensions in the region.

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 had 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 January 26, but the deadline was extended to February 18 after Israel refused to comply. Despite this, Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.