UNESCO Declares Lebanon's Castles and West Bank Site Endangered

UNESCO has added several endangered sites to its List of World Heritage in Danger, including Lebanon's Beaufort Castle and an archaeological site in the West Bank. The Beaufort Castle, a Crusader fortress also known as Qalaat al Shakif, was recently captured by Israeli forces engaged in conflict with Hezbollah.

This southern Lebanese mountainous region, Jabal Amel, has been subjected to repeated Israeli bombings. The five castles in the area, including Beaufort, were jointly nominated by UNESCO. The UN agency stated that the fortresses have sustained damage and face ongoing threats from the conflict, deeming the situation severe enough to warrant emergency procedures.

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The fortresses suffered damage and face persistent threats derived from the conflict, sufficiently serious to justify the use of an emergency procedure.

Also added to the endangered list is Sebastia, near the West Bank city of Nablus. This site is believed to correspond to the ancient Israelite and later Roman city of Samaria, a name Israel still uses for the northern West Bank. Israeli authorities have shown interest in the location, which lies near the Palestinian town of Sebastia but is under exclusive Israeli control.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected the listing, blaming the Palestinians and calling it an attempt to "erase and deny the Jewish connection to this land." The sites were included on the list following a vote by the 196 member states of the UN agency.

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It is an attempt to erase and deny the Jewish connection to this land.