UNESCO Urges Zionist Entity to Halt Harmful Activities at Sebastia Archaeological Site
PARIS – UNESCO has called on the Zionist entity to refrain from any actions that could damage the archaeological site of Sebastia, located near Nablus, citing the site’s exceptional historical and cultural significance.
The organization stressed the need for all work at the site to comply with international law and to be conducted with the consent and cooperation of all relevant parties, in accordance with the 1956 Recommendation on Archaeological Excavations and related UNESCO conventions.
The statement came after reports that the Zionist entity was carrying out construction and archaeological projects in Sebastia. UNESCO emphasized the shared international responsibility to protect the site for both current and future generations.
In response, Ali Abu Zuhri, a member of the PLO Executive Committee and Chairman of the Palestinian National Committee for Tangible and Intangible Heritage, welcomed UNESCO’s position. He called it a significant step toward safeguarding Palestinian cultural heritage and encouraged immediate action, including dispatching a monitoring mission to assess ongoing threats.
Abu Zuhri condemned the Zionist unilateral activities in occupied territory, accusing it of violating international law and ignoring UNESCO resolutions. He reaffirmed Palestine’s commitment to protecting Sebastia and other threatened cultural sites as part of its national identity.
Sebastia has been on Palestine’s tentative World Heritage list since 2012 and is protected under various international treaties, including the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
