Ancient Lebanese heritage sites under threat

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.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​