UNESCO declares Gaza site as both 'World Heritage' and 'In Danger'

In late July, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee designated Saint Hilarion Monastery, also known as Tell Umm Amer, as both a "World Heritage" and "World Heritage In Danger" site.

The ancient monastery's value and need for protection have been recognized and reflected in the decision made during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi, India, as stated by UNESCO.

The monastery, one of the oldest sites in the Middle East, was inscribed by the Committee to both lists using an emergency procedure from the World Heritage Convention, which allows for expedited inscriptions for sites at risk.

A UNESCO spokesperson informed CNBC Travel that the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, which could endanger this archaeological site, presents a scenario where this procedure is feasible.

Satellite imagery is being used by UNESCO to monitor the site remotely, and no damage has been identified to date.

What this means

UNESCO's 196 "State Parties" must take measures to protect the site and avoid any damage to it, as per the World Heritage Convention adopted in 1972.

Israel is no longer a member of UNESCO, but it is a State Party, meaning it is obligated to protect the monastery according to the Convention.

On Dec. 31, 2018, the United States and Israel left UNESCO, alleging anti-Israeli bias at the U.N. agency, which intensified after the organization recognized "the State of Palestine" as a member in 2011.

In July 2023, the United States officially re-joined UNESCO under the Biden administration.

Despite not being a member of UNESCO, Israel has sent delegations to the World Heritage Committee's annual meetings as non-voting observers, including a notable appearance at the 2023 meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Use of the emergency procedure

A UNESCO spokesperson informed CNBC that simultaneous inscriptions to its World Heritage and "In Danger" lists are quite frequent.

In January 2023, UNESCO inscribed Ukraine's historic center of the port city of Odesa and Yemen's ancient kingdom of Saba as World Heritage Sites.

While there are 1,123 sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List, only 56 are on its "In Danger" list, which highlights sites facing threats such as war, natural disasters, pollution, and overtourism.

Websites on the "At Risk" list can also receive technical and financial support for safeguarding and restoration efforts.

The UNESCO spokesperson stated that emergency procedure requests for simultaneous inscriptions must originate from a State Party.

"In 2012, Palestine included the site on its Tentative List, and in June 2024, it submitted a nomination for 'Saint Hilarion Monastery/Tell Umm Amer' on an emergency basis."

The Committee members reached a consensus on the inscription, as stated by the spokesperson.

The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee concluded on Wednesday with the addition of 26 new sites to the UNESCO World Heritage List and Nauru becoming its 196th State Party.