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Open Letter to Ms. Audrey Azoulay Director-General United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Ms. Audrey Azoulay
Director-General United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
7 Place de Fontenoy 75352 Paris 07 SP, France
Dear Ms. Azoulay,
We write to you with profound dismay and urgent concern regarding the lack of decisive action from UNESCO in response to the ongoing destruction of historical sites, heritage, and culture in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
The relentless military onslaught and indiscriminate bombardment by the Israeli regime over the past five months have inflicted massive death, devastation, and humanitarian catastrophe upon the 2.3 million Palestinians inhabiting the region, marking an unprecedented scale of destruction in modern history.
The statistics paint a harrowing picture: nearly 30,000 lives lost, over 70,000 individuals injured, and more than 1.7 million Palestinians displaced from their homes. The Gaza Strip's built environment and farmlands lie decimated, with approximately 80% reduced to rubble. The deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, including residential areas, hospitals, schools, universities, mosques, and churches, underscores the gravity of the situation.
Of equal concern is the intentional destruction of cultural and historical sites, which constitute the essence of Palestinian identity and heritage. The Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and Ministry of Culture reports that 207 archaeological sites and buildings of profound cultural significance have been reduced to ruins or severely damaged. Mosques, churches, cemeteries, museums, libraries, and archives have not been spared from the ravages of war.
Archaeological treasures along the coast, such as Tell es-Sakan, Tell Ruqaish, Tell al-‘Ajul, Tell al-Mintar, and Tell Rafah, bear the scars of Israeli bombardments. The revered site of Deir al-Balah, which unearthed remains of a Philistine cemetery dating back to the Late Bronze period (1550-1200 BC, has suffered irreparable damage. Blakhiyya, identified as Gaza's ancient seaport dating from 800 BC - 1100, lies largely in ruins, as depicted in the findings of Forensic Architecture.
The seizure of a warehouse housing over 4,000 archaeological artifacts from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities underscores the systematic erasure of Palestinian heritage. The desecration of the Saint Hilarion Monastery, the Byzantine Church in Jabalia, and the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrios reflects a deliberate assault on religious and cultural symbols integral to Palestinian history.
Despite the gravity of these atrocities, UNESCO's response has been marked by silence and tepid expressions of concern. While provisional enhanced protection was granted to select sites, the absence of unequivocal condemnation and decisive action is deeply troubling. UNESCO's passive language and reluctance to confront the Israeli regime's egregious violations of international law stand in stark contrast to its unequivocal condemnation of similar acts elsewhere.
The disparity in UNESCO's response, evident in its differing reactions to cultural heritage destruction in Ukraine, underscores a troubling pattern of double standards. The failure to hold the Israeli regime accountable for its systematic assault on Palestinian cultural heritage perpetuates injustice and undermines the principles of international law.
As guardians of global heritage, UNESCO has a moral imperative to uphold the principles of justice, integrity, and accountability. The wanton destruction of Palestinian cultural heritage demands nothing less than a resolute and unwavering stance from the international community.
Considering the foregoing, we strongly urge UNESCO to:
1. Issue an immediate and unequivocal condemnation of the Israeli regime's deliberate targeting of cultural heritage sites in the Gaza Strip.
2. Demand full accountability and restitution for the damage inflicted upon Palestinian cultural and historical treasures.
3. Mobilize international support for the preservation and safeguarding of Palestinian cultural heritage, in accordance with the principles enshrined in the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
4. Demand an immediate and thorough investigation into the Israeli regime's deliberate targeting of cultural heritage sites in the Gaza Strip. This investigation must prioritize holding Israel accountable for grave violations of international humanitarian law and the intentional targeting of cultural heritage.
The preservation of Palestinian heritage is not merely a matter of cultural significance; it is a testament to the resilience and endurance of a people whose history spans millennia. As we bear witness to the unfolding tragedy in Gaza, let us reaffirm our commitment to justice, dignity, and the preservation of human heritage.
The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated. Every moment of inaction perpetuates the suffering of the Palestinian people and threatens the extinction of their cultural legacy. The time for decisive action is now.
We request that UNESCO will heed this urgent call to action and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their quest for justice and preservation of their cultural legacy.
Yours sincerely,
If you want to stand with us and solidarity with Gaza, please add your signature and your information below.
This campaign was launched as a joint initiative by the Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO), and the Resilience Pathways working Group in Palestine.