Israeli Soldiers Punished for Breaking Religious Statue

May 11, 2026, 20:21
Middle EastInternational

Introduction

The Israeli army put two soldiers in jail. They hurt a religious statue in southern Lebanon.

Main Body

One soldier put a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of Mary. Another soldier took a photo. Many people saw the photo and were angry. The army put one soldier in jail for 21 days and the other for 14 days. Other soldiers also broke a cross in a village called Debel. World leaders and church leaders said this was wrong. The army put those soldiers in jail too. Israeli soldiers are in southern Lebanon because of a war with Hezbollah. Now there is a peace agreement, but the area is still dangerous. Many buildings are destroyed. People cannot go home. Some groups say the army does not punish all bad soldiers. They say many cases in Gaza and the West Bank are not finished. Also, 18 Israeli soldiers died in this war.

Conclusion

The army punished soldiers for hurting religious things. The situation in Lebanon is still very difficult.

Learning

⚡ The 'Action' Pattern

Look at how we describe what happened. We use a simple formula: Who →\rightarrow Did what →\rightarrow To whom/what.

  • The army →\rightarrow put →\rightarrow soldiers in jail.
  • One soldier →\rightarrow put →\rightarrow a cigarette in the mouth.
  • Another soldier →\rightarrow took →\rightarrow a photo.

Why this helps you: In A2 English, you don't need fancy words. You just need to connect the person to the action.

Common words from the text to use:

  • Put (to place something)
  • Took (to grab or capture)
  • Broke (to damage)
  • Said (to speak)

Quick Tip: Notice that these are all Past Tense. We use these forms when the story is finished.

  • Put (Today) →\rightarrow Put (Yesterday)
  • Take (Today) →\rightarrow Took (Yesterday)
  • Break (Today) →\rightarrow Broke (Yesterday)

Vocabulary Learning

soldier (n.)
A person who fights for a country in the army.
Example:The soldier followed the orders of his commander.
army (n.)
A group of soldiers who protect a country.
Example:The army protects the country's borders.
jail (n.)
A place where people are kept as punishment for breaking the law.
Example:The prisoner was put in jail for breaking the law.
statue (n.)
A carved or cast figure of a person or animal.
Example:The statue of Mary was damaged by the soldier.
cigarette (n.)
A small rolled paper filled with tobacco for smoking.
Example:He dropped a cigarette near the statue.
photo (n.)
A picture taken with a camera.
Example:She took a photo of the statue.
angry (adj.)
Feeling or showing strong displeasure.
Example:The crowd became angry when they saw the damage.
village (n.)
A small community of houses in a rural area.
Example:The village of Debel was where the cross was broken.
war (n.)
A violent conflict between countries or groups.
Example:The war with Hezbollah caused many casualties.
peace (n.)
A state of calm and freedom from war.
Example:After the war, a peace agreement was signed.
agreement (n.)
A deal or arrangement that people agree to.
Example:The agreement ended the fighting.
dangerous (adj.)
Full of danger or risk.
Example:The area is still dangerous because of unexploded bombs.
building (n.)
A structure with walls and a roof.
Example:Many buildings were destroyed during the war.
destroyed (adj.)
Broken or ruined completely.
Example:The war destroyed the old bridge.
home (n.)
A place where a person lives.
Example:People cannot go home because of the conflict.
group (n.)
A number of people or things gathered together.
Example:Some groups protested the injustice.
punish (v.)
To give a penalty for wrongdoing.
Example:The army will punish those who break the rules.
case (n.)
An instance or situation of something.
Example:Each case will be reviewed by the court.
difficult (adj.)
Hard to do or understand.
Example:The situation in Lebanon is still very difficult.