Culture Ministry rejects claims about Beaufort Castle, urges protection of heritage site
Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture, through the Directorate General of Antiquities, condemned what it described as an Israeli media campaign alleging the presence of Hezbollah military infrastructure within or beneath Beaufort Castle (Qalaat Al-Shaqif), warning that such claims could be used to justify attacks on the historic site.
The ministry stressed that Beaufort Castle is one of Lebanon’s most significant archaeological landmarks and is included on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status. It also benefits from enhanced protection under the 1954 Hague Convention and its 1999 Second Protocol governing the protection of cultural property during armed conflict.
According to the ministry, the castle has been under the sole administration of the Directorate General of Antiquities since Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. It rejected claims of military facilities beneath the site, stating that locations shown in circulated maps and videos are far from the castle and unrelated to the archaeological complex.
The ministry called on UNESCO and the international community to act urgently to safeguard the site and prevent any damage to a landmark it described as part of humanity’s shared cultural heritage.
