Culture Minister Ghassan Salame Inspects Tyre's Archaeological Sites and Announces Efforts to List Them as Threatened

Ghassan Salame, the Minister of Culture and the first government minister to visit southern Lebanon following the Israeli aggression, conducted an inspection tour in the city of Tyre. He examined the damage inflicted on archaeological sites and assessed firsthand the extent of assaults on the city’s cultural and historical heritage. He was accompanied by the Director General of Antiquities, Engineer Sarkis Khoury, along with several officials from the Directorate General of Antiquities.

Upon arrival, Minister Salame and his accompanying delegation were received by Members of Parliament Ali Kharis, Inaya Ezzeddine, and Hassan Jishi, as well as Engineer Hassan Dabouk, President of the Union of Municipalities of Tyre District, and Alwan Sharafeddine, Deputy Mayor of Tyre.

The inspection began at the archaeological site of Al-Bass, where Minister Salame reviewed the extent of the damage caused by the Israeli aggression at the site.

At the Tyre archaeological site, Salame stated that his visit was motivated by a "national and moral duty to assess the damage to the antiquities resulting from the Israeli aggression and to document this assault, which targeted a universal human and historical value, violating all international laws, charters, and protocols related to the protection of cultural heritage."

He noted that he had conducted a series of communications with culture ministers from several countries worldwide to make them aware of their responsibilities regarding the events in southern Lebanon. He emphasized that protecting antiquities is a shared international responsibility, especially concerning historical sites in Tyre, Sour, Shaqif, Shaqra, and Tibnin.

Salame added, "Although UNESCO does not have an army to protect antiquities, we can confront these assaults and condemn them before the global public opinion through diplomatic, legal, and media means."

He also announced that he maintained continuous contact with the Director General of UNESCO, which contributed to convening an extraordinary meeting of the World Heritage Committee. This committee unanimously approved expanding the scope of protected sites, signaling the international community’s concern for Lebanon’s threatened heritage.

The minister revealed two key decisions taken by the Ministry of Culture: first, to seek the inclusion of Tyre’s antiquities on the list of sites permanently exposed to danger due to the risk of new attacks, thereby assigning additional responsibilities to the international community for their protection; second, to work on registering the historic castles of Jabal Amel in Shaqra, Shaqif, Tibnin, and Shaqra as globally protected archaeological sites.

He stressed the necessity of continuing efforts to safeguard the antiquities of Tyre, the city itself, and all the villages of Jabal Amel, both human and material, from the repeated Israeli assaults targeting both people and heritage.

Following this, the minister and his delegation toured several buildings and facilities in Tyre that had been targeted by Israeli attacks, reviewing the scale of destruction and damage caused.

Member of Parliament Inaya Ezzeddine welcomed the minister and his delegation, highlighting the extensive damage to archaeological sites and infrastructure in Tyre. She affirmed that the city represents the "Pearl of the Mediterranean" due to its rich cultural, civilizational, and human heritage.

MP Ali Kharis called on all Lebanese state institutions to declare a comprehensive national mobilization to support the south, strengthen its resilience, and rebuild what the aggression destroyed. He underscored the importance of official presence in southern regions to witness the suffering and needs of their inhabitants.

MP Hussein Jishi praised the visit, considering it a contribution to exposing the brutal Israeli practices against cultural, archaeological, and human sites in southern Lebanon.

Engineer Hassan Dabouk, President of the Union of Municipalities of Tyre District, described the visit as a positive step and a clear message to the international community condemning Israeli attacks on cultural centers, archaeological sites, and heritage. He reaffirmed the commitment to protecting the civilizational identity of southern Lebanon and preserving its historical legacy for future generations.

The minister also inspected the old quarters and streets of Tyre city that suffered from the Israeli aggression.

Additional visits included the Maronite Diocese of Tyre, where he was received by Bishop Charbel Abdullah, and the Tyre Municipality, where Mayor Engineer Hassan Dabouk welcomed him.