Cultural Barbarism under Fire: Unesco Officially Places Jebel Amel Castles on World Heritage List...
At its 48th session in Busan, the World Heritage Committee unanimously approved Lebanon's emergency request to list the five historic fortresses of Jebel Amel—Beaufort (Shaqif), Tibnin, Shaqra, Deir Kifa, and Shamaa—on both the UNESCO World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger. Spearheaded by Lebanon’s Ambassador to UNESCO, Hind Darwish, this decisive international consensus recognizes the Outstanding Universal Value of these irreplaceable architectural monuments and officially places their preservation under global protection.
Our Remarks as Heritage Conservationists & Archaeologists:
This decision is a damning, direct response to the reckless and systemic destruction inflicted by the Israeli military on human history. The ongoing, violent bombardment and deliberate targeting of southern Lebanon's ancient historical sites by Israeli forces represent nothing short of state-sponsored cultural vandalism and an egregious crime against our shared human civilization.
These fortresses have stood for centuries—enduring Crusader battles, Ottoman eras, and centuries of regional history—only to be systematically pulverized by modern Israeli munitions. Destroying human heritage is not "collateral damage"; it is an aggressive attempt to erase the historical memory, identity, and cultural roots of a land and its people.
By placing these sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger, the international community has sent a clear signal: Israel’s ruthless obliteration of irreplaceable archaeological treasures will draw severe legal, diplomatic, and historical consequences. Weaponizing warfare against ancient heritage violates basic international humanitarian law and the 1954 Hague Convention. We demand an immediate, international military halt around all protected heritage zones and full legal accountability for every stone destroyed by Israeli aggression.