NEW DELHI: An ancient Christian monastery in the Gaza Strip was recognized as a world heritage site in danger during a UNESCO meeting in New Delhi on Friday.
Founded around 340 by Saint Hilarion, the monastery is part of Tell Umm Amer, an archaeological site in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Deir al-Balah province of the Gaza Strip.
The Permanent Delegation of Palestine submitted the application for UNESCO listing in 2012; the nomination was processed in an expedited procedure during the current annual session of the World Heritage Committee.
Ambassador Mounir Anastas, Palestine's permanent delegate to the United Nations cultural agency, welcomed the inscription, saying it gave hope to the people of Gaza in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks that have killed at least 40,000 people and destroyed much of the Palestinian enclave's infrastructure since October.
“It is a message of hope for our people in Gaza who are fleeing bombs, who have no shelter, no water and no food. Yet they are determined to protect 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 meeting.
The request was submitted by Belgium and supported by 18 other members of the World Heritage Committee, who, invoking the emergency procedure provided for in the World Heritage Convention, agreed to inscribe the St. Hilarion Monastery Complex on both the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger.
According to the provisions of the convention, the 195 states parties – including Israel – are prohibited from directly or indirectly damaging the site and have committed themselves to cooperating in its protection.
“Once the site is on the List of World Heritage in Danger, it means that all States Parties to the Convention are responsible for protecting and promoting the site,” said Mounir.
“And this is also another strong message from the international community to our people in the Gaza Strip: the international community has not forgotten you.”
Saint Hilarion was a native of the Gaza region and is considered the father of Palestinian monasticism. His monastery was once an important stop at the crossroads between Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia and is associated with the phenomenon of desert monastic centers during the Byzantine period. It is also a testimony to Christianity in Gaza.
The complex is one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East and consists of two churches, a tomb, a baptism hall, a public cemetery, an audience hall and dining rooms.
At least 207 of a total of 320 archaeological sites and buildings of cultural and historical significance have been reduced to rubble or severely damaged by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip over the past ten months.
These include the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrios – the third oldest church in the world –, the 12th-century Great Omari Mosque and the nearby medieval market of the old town Al-Qissariya, the ancient seaport of Gaza dating back to 800 BC, and a Philistine cemetery dating from the Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BC).
The destruction of many archaeological sites was detailed in South Africa's indictment of Israel for genocide before the International Court of Justice. The indictment argues that the mass killings and destruction of cultural heritage in Gaza demonstrate the intent of the Israeli leadership to destroy the Palestinian people and their cultural identity.
