UNESCO places occupied West Bank, Lebanon sites on endangered heritage list
UNESCO has added archaeological sites in the West Bank and Lebanon to its endangered World Heritage list due to ongoing regional conflicts. The decision follows emergency procedures and faced opposition from Israeli officials.
Why it matters
The designation highlights the vulnerability of cultural heritage sites during active military conflicts and underscores the geopolitical tensions surrounding land control in the Middle East.
Sebastia in the occupied West Bank and five Lebanese castles get emergency listing despite Israeli objections.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info A Palestinian flag flies over the Roman ruins of Sebastia in the occupied West Bank [File: Nasser Nasser/AP] By AFP and The Associated Press Published On 24 Jul 2026 24 Jul 2026 UNESCO has added sites in the occupied West Bank and Lebanon to the list of endangered World Heritage sites, despite Israeli objections.
A committee vote on Friday at a UNESCO meeting in Busan, South Korea, placed six locations on both the main World Heritage list and the endangered list at once, under an emergency procedure, citing the toll of the ongoing conflicts in the region.
The locations include a biblical archaeological site in the West Bank and five castles in southern Lebanon , one of which was recently seized by Israeli troops.
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