The United Nations cultural agency UNESCO on Friday updated its list of World Heritage in Danger, adding a Lebanese castle recently captured by Israeli forces and an archaeological site in the occupied West Bank, drawing sharp criticism from Israel.

The decision was made during a UNESCO meeting in Busan, South Korea. Members agreed to include five castles in Lebanon's Mount Amel region, including Beaufort Castle, and the West Bank's Sebastia on both the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The nominations were reviewed on an emergency basis, citing ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. Israel's Foreign Ministry had urged the committee to reject the designations, calling them a "weaponization of cultural heritage."

Beaufort Castle, also known as Qalaat al-Shakif, is a Crusader fortress captured by Israeli forces in May during operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon. UNESCO said the fortresses had sustained damage and faced ongoing threats from the conflict.

Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salame told AFP that only two of the castles were "within the Lebanese government's reach" and accused Israel of already destroying Shamaa Castle and threatening to demolish Beaufort. He described the UNESCO listing as a "remarkable achievement in the effort to protect these important Lebanese historical landmarks."

Sebastia, near Nablus, is believed to be the ancient Israelite and later Roman city of Samaria, with remains spanning the Iron Age, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods. Israeli authorities have taken control of about 200 hectares of nearby Palestinian land in 2025 for what they call preservation and development purposes.

UNESCO stated that the site's integrity is threatened by "an expropriation project aimed at subdividing the property and creating the 'Samaria' (Shomron) National Park." Palestinian delegate Adel Naim Daoud Atieh said the designation rewards the perseverance of Sebastia's residents who protected the site despite occupation and restrictions.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar slammed the listings, calling the inclusion of Samaria an attempt at "erasing and denying the Jewish connection to this land." An Israeli delegate accused UNESCO of being politicized, while the Foreign Ministry alleged Hezbollah turned Beaufort Castle into a military stronghold—a claim denied by Lebanon, which said the castles were used only for cultural and tourism purposes.

Source: www.dw.com