Concern for Lebanon's heritage grows as Israel intensifies destruction of historic landmarks: Israeli attacks in Lebanon have devastated historic sites, fueling widespread condemnation and highlighting the urgent threat to the country's cultural heritage #urbicide

Philippe Pernot

28 October, 2024

Since the start of Israel's war on Lebanon, concern for the country's historic sites has grown, especially as the violent air and ground offensive that began on September 23 has claimed more than 2,000 lives.

As more experts and practitioners denounce the destruction and appeal to the international community, The New Arab examines the sites that have been destroyed so far, reactions to the attacks, current efforts to protect these sites, and how these attacks demonstrate that Israel is committing urbicide in Lebanon.

Sites destroyed so far

On October 6, Israel struck a cultural heritage site near the ruins of the ancient Roman Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, a well-known city in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. As of October 29, Israel launched another attack, resulting in 60 deaths and 58 injuries.

Baalbek was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 [Philippe Pernot]

Then, on October 9, Saint George’s church in the village of Dardghaya was destroyed in a strike that also killed two rescue workers. The Ayyubid shrine in Baalbek-Douris was also damaged in a nearby strike.

The destruction continued on October 14, with the world witnessing the obliteration of the 200-year-old souks of Nabatieh, once a lively marketplace filled with fruit and vegetable vendors, goldsmiths, grocers, and clothing and soap stores.

Fast forward to October 16, and the attacks continued with strikes that almost entirely destroyed the Prophet Benjamin shrine in Mhaybib and mosques in several other border villages. 

On this day, Israel also targeted Tebnine Castle, causing significant damage to its outer walls. The castle was originally built by the Crusaders in 1104, when the Tebnine region was part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

The latest assault occurred on October 28, when Tyre — home to Phoenician and Roman ruins and a popular summer destination — was struck for the second time, following an initial attack on October 23 that had been hit seven times.... READ MORE    https://www.newarab.com/features/heritage-risk-israel-targets-lebanons-historic-landmarks

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