The West Bank archaeological site of Sebastia has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, according to the organization.
Sebastia is a hilltop town about 10 km (6 miles) northwest of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as reported by sources.
Some reports indicate UNESCO placed Sebastia on its list of World Heritage in Danger, while others describe it as a World Heritage site without specifying that status.
Separately, UNESCO placed a Lebanese castle recently taken by Israeli forces on the World Heritage in Danger list, according to reports.
This is a weaponization of cultural heritage.
— Israel
Israel objected to the West Bank site's inclusion on the World Heritage List, with officials criticizing the nominations as politicized.
Updates
UNESCO added Sebastia to the World Heritage in Danger list through an emergency inscription process completed on Friday. The decision was prompted by cited threats stemming from land expropriation and specific Israeli measures.
UNESCO has officially added West Bank Sebastia Added to the World Heritage in Danger list through an emergency inscription process completed this Friday. The decision was specifically driven by concerns regarding land expropriation and the impact of measures taken by Israel.
The World Heritage Committee designated the site as endangered through an emergency inscription on Friday, citing concerns over land expropriation and Israeli measures. While sources confirm the listing occurred in the context of recent activity, reports remain conflicted regarding the scope of the decision, with some claims stating that five Lebanese castles were included under this emergency status.
UNESCO added the sites to the World Heritage in Danger list on Friday through an emergency inscription process. The organization justified this urgent action by citing threats posed by land expropriation and Israeli measures. While there are conflicting reports, some sources suggest that five Lebanese castles were included in this emergency listing, though this specific detail remains disputed.
The UNESCO committee meeting held in South Korea resulted in the emergency inscription of West Bank Sebastia Added and Lebanese castles onto the World Heritage in Danger list, a decision made on Friday despite objections from Israel’s Foreign Ministry. While it is confirmed these sites in southern Lebanon were added citing threats from land expropriation and Israeli measures, reports remain disputed regarding whether exactly five castles were included in this emergency process.
The World Heritage Committee meeting in New Delhi approved the emergency inscription of West Bank Sebastia Added and Lebanese castles in southern Lebanon to the List of World Heritage in Danger on a Friday. While sources state that five Lebanese castles were included through this emergency procedure, this specific count remains disputed. The decision was finalized days after Israel’s Foreign Ministry urged the committee to reject the nominations, despite Israel's explicit objection to the listing of the Lebanese sites due to ongoing regional activity.
The World Heritage Committee meeting in New Delhi approved the emergency inscription of West Bank Sebastia Added and various Lebanese castles located in the south to the List of World Heritage in Danger. While some reports specify that five Lebanese castles were included under this emergency status, this detail remains disputed. This decision was reached on a Friday, just days after Israel’s Foreign Ministry formally urged the committee to reject the nominations due to concerns over land expropriation and Israeli regional activities.
