Gaza's ancient Christian monastery on 'danger list' at UNESCO session in India
NEW DELHI: An ancient Christian monastery in Gaza was recognized as a World Heritage Site in Danger during a session of UNESCO in New Delhi on Friday.
Founded around 340 by Saint Hilarion, the monastery is part of Tell Umm Amer, an archaeological site located in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Deir al-Balah Governorate, Gaza.
The Permanent Mission of Palestine to UNESCO submitted for inclusion in 2012, and its nomination was processed on an urgent basis during the current annual session of the World Heritage Committee.
Ambassador Munir Anastas, Palestine's permanent representative to the UN cultural agency, hailed the inscription as giving hope to Gazans amid ongoing Israeli attacks that have killed at least 40,000 people and destroyed much of the Palestinian enclave's infrastructure since October. .
“This is a message of hope to our people in Gaza who are fleeing the bombardment and have no shelter, no water, no food. However, they are committed to protecting their heritage because this heritage is part of the memory and history of our people,” Anastas told Arab News on the sidelines of the UNESCO session.
The move was presented by Belgium and supported by 18 other members of the World Heritage Committee, who invoked the emergency procedure provided for by the World Heritage Convention and agreed to include the monastic complex of Saint Hilarion on the World Heritage and World Heritage in Danger lists.
Under the terms of the convention, its 195 member states — including Israel — are prohibited from directly or indirectly harming the site and must cooperate to protect it.
“Once a site is listed as World Heritage in Danger, it means that all states parties to the convention are responsible for protecting and promoting the site,” Munir said.
“And this is another strong message from the international community to our people in Gaza, saying that the international community has not forgotten you.”
Saint Hilarion was a native of Gaza and is considered the father of Palestinian monasticism. His monastery was an important station at the crossroads between Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia and is associated with the phenomenon of monastic desert centers in the Byzantine period. This is also indicative of Christianity in Gaza.
One of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East, the complex consists of two churches, a burial place, a baptismal hall, a public cemetery, an audience hall and dining halls.
At least 207 archaeological sites and buildings of cultural and historical significance out of a total of 320 have been reduced to ruins or severely damaged by Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip over the past 10 months.
These include the Orthodox Church of St. Porphyry, the third oldest church in the world, the 12th-century Great Mosque of Amari, and the nearby medieval market of the Old City of Al-Kisaria, Gaza's ancient seaport that dates back to 800 BC. -1200 BC
The destruction of many archaeological sites was detailed in the International Court of Justice case of South Africa against Israel for the crime of genocide. of justice. The case alleges that the mass killings and destruction of cultural heritage in Gaza demonstrate the Israeli leadership's intent to destroy the Palestinian people and their cultural identity.
