Monument protection and war - UNESCO: Archaeological site in Gaza Strip now World Heritage
It is a symbolic gesture during war times: The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO decides to add the archaeological site of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion in the Gaza Strip to the list of World Heritage Sites. Additionally, the monastery founded in the Byzantine era is put on the list of endangered World Heritage Sites. The site is located in a village about ten kilometers south of Gaza City.
The UN Organization for Education, Science, Culture and Communication (UNESCO) made the decision known at its 46th session in New Delhi, India, on Friday.
Given the immediate threat in relation to the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the World Heritage Committee has resorted to an emergency procedure, the organization announced. This acknowledges both the exceptional universal value of the monastery and the responsibility to protect it in the face of imminent dangers.
The Monastery of Saint Hilarion, also known as Tell Umm Amer, was founded by Saint Hilarion and was the first monastic community in the Holy Land. Located at the crossroads of the most important trade and exchange routes between Asia and Africa, it served as a center of religious, cultural, and economic exchange according to UNESCO, and illustrated the prosperity of the desert monastery states of the time.
Tell Umm Amer, dating back to the 4th century, is one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East. It is an early witness to the emergence of Christianity in the region and is endangered due to the armed conflict in the area, it was stated.
"This registration is important to us because it is a message of hope to our people in Gaza, who are fleeing from their homes and have neither food, shelter nor water," said a Palestinian representative in New Delhi. "Through this registration, we tell them that we have not forgotten them." He called on all contracting parties to urge Israel not to target cultural heritage in the Gaza Strip and to end the war in Gaza immediately and permanently, the representative added.
According to the health authority controlled by the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip, approximately 39,000 people have been killed and almost 90,000 injured in the strip since the war began in October. The healthcare system in the area is largely collapsed due to the war damages.
The cause of the Gaza war was the unprecedented massacre committed by terrorists from Hamas and other groups in Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1200 deaths. Israel responded with massive air raids and a ground offensive. Facing the high number of civilian casualties and the catastrophic situation in the Gaza Strip, Israel is increasingly criticized internationally.
- This decision by UNESCO in New Delhi highlights the importance of preserving cultural heritage sites, even in times of conflict, such as the Monastery of Saint Hilarion in the Gaza Strip.
- The World Heritage Committee's emergency procedure for the Monastery of Saint Hilarion underscores the need for monitoring and protection of cultural sites in the Palestinian territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
- Israel, a member of UNESCO, is urged to ensure the protection of World Heritage Sites, like the Monastery of Saint Hilarion, in the Gaza Strip, as called for by the UN and the World Heritage Committee.
- The registration of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO serves as a powerful symbol of the international community's commitment to fostering education, peace, and cultural preservation, even amidst conflicts in places like the Gaza Strip.
- The World Heritage Committee, through UNESCO, emphasizes that cultural monuments in the Gaza Strip, such as the Monastery of Saint Hilarion, should be protected, and serves as a reminder that war and conflict should never endanger a region's heritage.
- The Palastinian representation to UNESCO in New Delhi highlights the significance of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion as a symbol of hope for the people of the Gaza Strip, whose cultural heritage is constantly threatened by conflicts.
- The UN and the World Heritage Committee, through UNESCO, play a vital role in promoting the education, protection, and peace-building potential of cultural heritage sites like the Monastery of Saint Hilarion in the Gaza Strip, which have been impacted by ongoing conflicts, tensions, and wars.
