UNESCO inscribes West Bank site and Lebanese castles on World Heritage List despite Israeli objections

A United Nations committee approved the inscription of two cultural sites on the World Heritage List at its meeting in South Korea on Friday. The committee added the archaeological site in the West Bank town of Sebastia and a group of castles in southern Lebanon to the list, despite strong objections from Israel. The Israeli Foreign Ministry had urged the committee to reject both nominations, describing the proposals as a “weaponization of cultural heritage.”

The decision follows a broader debate over heritage preservation in contested regions. While the committee cited the historical significance and integrity of the Sebastia site and the Lebanese castles, Israel argued that the designations could be used to further political aims. The inclusion of the sites on the World Heritage List is now official, and the committee’s ruling will be implemented by the UNESCO Secretariat, marking a notable expansion of the list amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.