UNESCO places occupied West Bank, Lebanon sites on endangered heritage list
UNESCO added six sites in the occupied West Bank and Lebanon to its endangered World Heritage list through emergency procedures, despite Israeli objections. The listings include Sebastia in the West Bank and five Lebanese castles, one recently seized by Israeli forces during conflict with Hezbollah.
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee voted Friday to place six locations on both the main World Heritage list and the endangered list simultaneously, invoking emergency procedures to address threats posed by ongoing regional conflicts. The decision was made during a committee meeting in Busan, South Korea, and proceeded despite a campaign by Israel's foreign ministry to block the designations.
The West Bank site, Sebastia, sits near Nablus and is identified by historians as ancient Samaria, the capital of the biblical Kingdom of Israel. Its archaeological remains span multiple periods from the Iron Age through Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic eras. Christian and Islamic traditions associate the location with the burial of John the Baptist. Palestinian officials first sought the listing in 2012, citing concerns that Israeli authorities intended to expropriate approximately 200 hectares of surrounding land for a national park project that would restrict Palestinian access to tourism revenue.
In Lebanon, five fortresses in the Mount Amel region received protection status, including Beaufort Castle, a medieval stronghold captured by Israeli forces in May during military operations against Hezbollah. Lebanon's culture ministry reported that Israeli bombardment had destroyed one castle, Shamaa, and threatened Beaufort. Israel disputed these claims, asserting that Hezbollah had converted Beaufort into a military installation with underground tunnels. A Lebanese delegate countered that the castles have served only tourism purposes since Israeli troops withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000.
The dispute reflects broader tensions between Israel and UNESCO. Israel departed the organization in 2019, citing alleged bias, and now participates only as an observer. Israel's foreign minister characterized the West Bank listing as an attempt to erase Jewish historical connections to the region. A Palestinian delegate credited Sebastia's residents with protecting the site despite occupation and restrictions. Earlier in the week, the ancient Lebanese city of Tyre was also added to the endangered list, with satellite imagery analysis revealing a deliberate pattern of land-clearing and demolition across the town between January and June.
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