UNESCO designates Lebanon's Beaufort Castle, West Bank's Sebastia as World Heritage Sites in Danger

UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, during its 48th session in Busan, South Korea, designated Lebanon's Mount Amel Castles (including Beaufort Castle) and the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre, along with the West Bank's Sebastia, as World Heritage Sites in Danger. These designations, announced between July 22-24, aim to recognize sites under threat from factors like armed conflict or development.

• Lebanese heritage organizations have expressed concern over damage to cultural sites due to the ongoing conflict, with UNESCO noting damage reports and condemning "unlawful attacks against cultural property."
• Israel's Foreign Ministry criticized the designation of the Mount Amel Castles, stating the allegations of Israeli military occupation endangering them are "baseless." They accused Hezbollah of endangering sites like Beaufort Castle by transforming it into a "terrorist stronghold" and building an extensive tunnel network.
• Regarding Sebastia, located in Area C of the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority praised its recognition as a Palestinian heritage site, while Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar accused the PA of fabricating a narrative to "erase and deny the Jewish connection to this land," emphasizing Sebastia's importance to Jewish history.
• The Foreign Ministry condemned UNESCO's decisions as a "surrender to politicization and a distortion of history," alleging the committee served as a platform for "one-sided Palestinian political initiatives against Israel."