Ancient Lebanese heritage sites under threat

Rubble lies at the site of the historic ‘Al-Manshiya’ building damaged in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, near the Roman ruins of Baalbek, in the eastern city of Baalbek, Lebanon November 7

Dr. Zahi Hawass, the renowned Egyptian archaeologist, has raised alarm about the vulnerability of Lebanon’s archaeological treasures amid ongoing military operations.

In a recent article published in the Arabic Asharq Al-Awsat, he highlighted particular concern for the ancient Baalbek Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984.

Writing in the London-based newspaper, Hawass emphasised the immediate risk to Baalbek and other historic sites from Israeli bombardments.

He urged UNESCO and the international community to take immediate action to protect these irreplaceable cultural landmarks.

The archaeologist offered to work directly with Lebanese authorities to launch an international awareness campaign about the threats facing these historic sites.

He also called upon the Arab League to help elevate global understanding of Baalbek’s significance as part of humanity’s shared cultural heritage.

Concluding his article, Hawass stressed the urgent need for unified action to preserve Lebanon’s archaeological sites, which he described as fundamental to Lebanese cultural identity.

He warned that these heritage sites face the risk of deliberate destruction by Israeli forces.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.
You might also like

Submit a Correction

For: Ancient Lebanese heritage sites under threat

Your suggestion have been successfully submitted

There was an error while trying to send your request. Please try again.

Libyan Express will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.