![People visit Sebastia, which dates back 5 thousand years in Nablus, West Bank on July 30, 2023. [Issam Rimawi - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AA-20230802-31822858-31822851-PALESTINIANS_DEMAND_UNESCO_TO_PROTECT_SEBASTIA.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1)
UNESCO has added the archaeological site of Sebastia in the northern West Bank to its List of World Heritage in Danger, Palestinian officials said Friday.
The decision was adopted under emergency procedures during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, Palestine’s official news agency Wafa reported, citing Tourism and Antiquities Minister Hani al-Hayek.
The committee recognized the site for its “outstanding universal value,” highlighting its multilayered history spanning the Iron Age and the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Crusader and Ottoman periods.
The UN cultural body placed the ancient site on the endangered list due to “serious threats, including Israeli occupation-related measures, land seizure plans, projects aimed at altering the historical and archaeological character of the site, and restrictions affecting protection, management, and preservation efforts.”
The Palestinian Tourism and Antiquites Ministry welcomed the designation, describing it as a national achievement in efforts to protect the country’s cultural heritage.
Sebastia is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Palestine, with a history dating back more than 3,000 years.
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