RESCUE notes with shock and sadness that Israeli military operations are extending to the ancient city of Baalbek, located in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon.
Baalbek is an ancient settlement of Phoenician origin but with an exact foundation date so ancient it is now lost. The Greeks named it Heliopolis (“City of the Sun”) whilst the Romans constructed their largest known temple complex in the city, dedicated to the so-called Heliopolitan Triad of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury. Today, the magnificent ruins of these temples are a World Heritage Site and loom strikingly over the town which has a rich post-Roman heritage of Crusader and Ottoman architecture. In more recent times the town and the wider Bekaa Valley have become known as a Hezbollah stronghold.
Recent news reports indicate that an Israeli airstrike has destroyed a centuries-old Ottoman period Manshieh historic building, located near to the World Heritage Site. This is the closest yet that military operations have come to the temple ruins. The historic building appears to have been destroyed and although the temple ruins are reported to be undamaged, it is of great concern that the destructive power of one of the world’s most advanced militaries, is targeting historic structures in such close proximity to one of the world’s premier archaeological and cultural sites.
RESCUE Says:
Historic sites are often collateral damage in military operations – an unfortunate casualty but one which is treated as secondary to the human and economic costs of conflict. The vast majority of historic buildings exhibit the sorry reminders of past conflicts but this ongoing degradation of cultural legacies is not one which we should either passively accept as inevitable nor ignore in the face of wider horrors. Deliberate targeting of historic monuments is classified as a War Crime under the founding Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court and where this is proven to be the case prosecution and punishment should be pursued. Whatever the circumstances of the latest operations, it is clear that once again, heritage is under threat of irreparable damage and destruction, and this is to be deplored. We urge the participants on all sides to exercise restraint and to recognise the importance of the cultural inheritance. We also call upon foreign governments to use their influence with all parties to ensure that heritage sites are kept from harm.
Baalbek’s ancient ruins at risk by Israeli bombing, archaeologists warn – BBC News
Israeli strike destroys Ottoman-era building near Baalbek ruins | Reuters
