Damage caused by Israeli strikes on the town of al-Ain near Baalbeck, in the Bekaa Valley. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/OLJ)
The destruction of heritage sites in Lebanon by daily Israeli airstrikes, as well as the risks faced by major historical sites such as the Baalbeck temples and the ruins of Sour, have prompted the Lebanese authorities to file complaints with UNESCO and its Secretary-General, Audrey Azoulay.
Meetings are scheduled to take place at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris on Nov. 18 to discuss ways to protect these sites, which seems to have provoked a response from Israel. Israel has decided to file a complaint with the international cultural organization, claiming that missiles fired from Lebanon are "targeting archaeological sites" on its territory, according to the official National News Agency (NNA).
In response to this complaint, outgoing Lebanese Minister of Culture Mohammad Mortada sent a new letter to the UNESCO Secretary-General, calling the Israeli complaint an "absurd comedy" and viewing it as an "attempt to bypass possible measures taken to preserve Lebanese historical sites."
While no reports indicate damage to heritage sites in Israel, Lebanon's heritage is subjected daily to destruction and damage caused by Israeli bombings. In Baalbeck, some sites have been affected or entirely razed, such as a building from the French mandate that was completely destroyed in a strike that also damaged the legendary Palmyra Hotel, several churches, and public infrastructures near the Roman site, which is classified as a World Heritage site and remains a major concern.
Another World Heritage site in Sour has also suffered damage. Other lesser-known but equally significant sites, such as the centuries-old souks of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, have been destroyed. Many historic mosques, as well as ancient churches, have been affected in southern Lebanon.
Commenting on the Israeli complaint, Mortada emphasized in his letter that Israel "is the aggressor who has destroyed all this heritage in Lebanon and Gaza," recalling the numerous times Israel has ignored the directives of U.N. agencies, which it now seeks to involve. "The sites mentioned by the enemy in its complaint to UNESCO, which it claims are in danger, are part of both the Palestinian and Lebanese histories, and as the true masters of this land, we are more concerned with their preservation than they are," the minister continued. He finally urged UNESCO and the international community to "ignore this request from those who want to divert attention from their own actions and preserve their impunity."
Lebanon has been the scene of a devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah since the opening of a front supporting the party alongside Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023. The fighting has escalated significantly since Sept. 23, with a violent Israeli aerial and ground offensive that spares no ancient sites in Lebanon and has caused thousands of casualties.
