Israel uses force to defend its citizens. That is its duty. That is its obligation. But victory is not decided by fire alone. It is decided by restraint as well, by the ability to set a clear boundary for force and, above all, not cross it. Because this war also has an internal front. Not every shot is directed outward. There are also acts, statements, and pressures that give the enemy what it failed to achieve by force. There is a precise name for that: aiding the enemy in wartime.

The incident in Lebanon, in which a soldier smashed a statue of Jesus in the village of Dabel during operational activity, was not a passing lapse. It was a failure of strategic judgment. The desecration of a Christian symbol does not harm Hezbollah. It serves the terrorist organisation and harms Israel. Within minutes, such an act is filmed, circulated, and understood in one way only: contempt for religion. The result is immediate: condemnation, distancing, and the erosion of support in precisely the arena where Israel cannot afford to open another front. That is why Israel acted without delay: punishment, removal from combat duties, and replacement of the statue. That was the required response, because the state’s first principles are clear.

Israel’s Declaration of Independence [1] states that........

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