On July 24 local time, the 48th World Heritage Committee of UNESCO held its meeting in Busan, South Korea. It was resolved to include five castles located in southern Lebanon, including the Fort Beaufort Castle, as well as the Sebastia archaeological site on the West Bank of the Jordan River, both in the World Heritage List and the World Heritage In danger List.
According to Al Jazeera, despite strong opposition from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNESCO still voted to approve this decision. The reason given was that the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East pose a threat to these sites.
Boffort Castle is located in southern Lebanon, also known as Sheikh Faw. It has a history of over 900 years. In the 12th century, the Crusaders and the Egyptian Ayyubid Sultan Saladin fought over this castle. During the Lebanese War of 1982, Israeli forces occupied Boffort Castle and controlled this strategic location for 18 years, until they withdrew in 2000.
In May of this year, after expanding its ground military operations against Lebanon, Israel once again captured the Fort Beffort Castle. Four other castles listed in the list were also bombed by Israeli forces during this round of conflicts. The Lebanese Ministry of Culture stated that the bombing by Israeli forces caused severe damage to the Shama Castle.
June 3rd, thick smoke rose near Fort Castle in southern Lebanon. IC photo
The Sebastia Archaeological Site is located near the Palestinian city of Nablus on the West Bank of the Jordan River. Historians believe it was the site of Samaria, the capital of the ancient Israel kingdom. This site spans through the Iron Age, the Roman Empire, and the Islamic period. Both Christian and Islamic traditions believe that the Jewish religious figure John the Baptist was buried here.
In 2012, Palestinian officials sought to have the Sistine Cave site listed as a World Heritage Site for the first time. At that time, Israel was attempting to establish a national park on its surrounding land. The project involved the construction of fences, the collection of entrance fees, and the creation of roads that were exclusively for Israeli use.
West Bank's Sebastia archaeological site - IC photo
Israel is dissatisfied with the latest actions taken by UNESCO. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Palestinian delegation of launching a “hostile and unilateral” campaign at UNESCO. Israel’s Foreign Minister, Salon, criticized the decision to include Sebastia in the list, stating that it was an attempt to “negate and deny the connection between Jews and this land.”
Regarding the Boffort Castle in Lebanon, Israel argues that this historical site has been used by Hezbollah in Lebanon as a military base. However, Lebanese representatives counter that since Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000, these castles have been used solely for cultural and tourist purposes.
Both Palestine and Lebanon welcomed UNESCO's decision. Lebanese Minister of Culture Ghassan Salame said this is "an extraordinary achievement in the efforts to protect these important Lebanese historical landmarks."
Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities official Ghideh Yasin said: “UNESCO has today officially inscribed Sebastia as a World Heritage Site. This sends a message to the world: this site is part of Palestinian heritage, and it remains under occupation. The rights to its management, development, and restoration belong to the Palestinian government.”
