A UNESCO committee meeting in South Korea approved World Heritage status for Sebastia, an archaeological site in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and five castles in Lebanon’s Mount Amel region. Both designations included placement on the List of World Heritage in Danger, with the committee reviewing the nominations on an emergency basis given the regional conflicts.
Sebastia, located approximately 10 kilometers northwest of Nablus, is identified by scholars as the ancient city of Samaria, which served as the capital of the biblical Kingdom of Israel. The site contains archaeological remains spanning multiple periods including the Iron Age, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic eras. According to Christian and Islamic tradition, John the Baptist was buried at the location. The Palestinian delegation submitted the nomination for World Heritage status, initially filed in 2012, arguing that the designation would support preservation efforts for the largely undeveloped site, which continues to attract visitors despite facing conservation challenges.
The five Lebanese castles represent centuries of architectural evolution, combining Crusader, Ayyubid, Mamluk, and local building influences over nearly nine centuries. The sites include Beaufort Castle, constructed by Crusaders, which Israeli forces seized in May during military operations in Lebanon.
Israel, which withdrew from UNESCO in 2019, objected to both designations. Israeli officials characterized the Palestinian nomination as a “weaponization of cultural heritage” and accused the Palestinian delegation of launching a “hostile, one-sided campaign” that misrepresented the site’s historical significance and falsely claimed an emergency situation. Regarding Beaufort Castle, Israeli authorities alleged that Hezbollah has converted the structure into a military installation featuring underground tunnels and rocket launch positions. Lebanese delegates countered that the castles have served exclusively cultural and tourism functions since Israel’s 2000 withdrawal from southern Lebanon, characterizing Israeli military claims as distortions by Israeli media.
UNESCO stated that all nominations undergo evaluation using identical criteria, procedures, and technical requirements, and that the organization maintains neutrality regarding political disputes. The committee separately designated Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city in southern Lebanon that experienced significant Israeli airstrikes in early June, as a World Heritage Site in Danger.
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