Quotes
There is a feeling that this unhinged Israeli attack on Baalbek is not merely targeting Hezbollah, but it is targeting part of the Lebanese soul, part of the Lebanese culture,
Bitar said
You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza,
the Israeli premier said in a video address last monthThe Organization is gravely concerned about the threats posed by the conflict to the region's rich cultural heritage and recalls to all parties their obligation to respect and protect the integrity of these sites, in line with international law,
a UNESCO spokesperson told NewsweekAs it has been well documented during the conflict, it should be emphasized that Hezbollah unlawfully embeds its military assets in densely populated civilian areas, and even near cultural heritage sites or underneath them, ... systematically exploiting civilian infrastructure for terrorist purposes and using the residents of Lebanon as human shields."
the IDF spokesperson said,I would say that Baalbek has a very special place in every Lebanese person's heart, not only because of the archeological heritage but because of all the memories of the past 75 years,
Karim Emile Bitar, a professor of international relations at Saint Joseph University of Beirut, told NewsweekIt is important to note that, as far as the IDF is aware of the existence of sensitive sites, this is taken into account and constitutes an essential part of the planning of strikes, with the aim of minimizing harm to civilian infrastructure as much as possible in accordance with international law,
the IDF spokesperson saidThe IDF targets military objectives belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah, employing all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians and civilian objects,
the IDF spokesperson saidSo, this is not only extremely dangerous, ... but it will also prove counterproductive, even if you think exclusively from an Israeli strategic perspective."
Bitar addedUNESCO considers that the preservation of cultural heritage is of great importance for all peoples of the world and thus needs universal protection,
they addedHezbollah can argue that Israel is not going after its arsenal, ... that it is inflicting collective punishment and targeting all Lebanese Shiites and beyond the Shiite community, targeting Lebanese heritage and archeological sites that are classified by UNESCO."
he continuedDuring the destructive war on Lebanon, Israel committed serious atrocities and violations of human rights,
said legislator Najat Saliba in the message which was directed to UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay
These are people's private properties. May God help the people. It’s just harm for the sake of harm,
said Hassan Jaafil, a resident
He (Trump) has never made a secret of his desire to put an end to the endless wars in the Middle East,
said BarrotThe Palestinian question is not going to disappear, regardless of which American administration is in charge,
he addedThey told me they were scared of the strikes and then they were struck,
Daramsis said as she wept
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My sister was killed last week, and now my brother, my nephew, and my other nephew with members of his family,
said Hassan BasmaWe remind all actors of their obligation to avoid actions putting peacekeepers or civilians in danger. Differences should be resolved at the negotiating table, not through violence,
the statement saidKnowing the wars we have gone through, this is regretfully the first time we see such crimes,
he saidWe are waiting for engineers from UNESCO and the Directorate General of Antiquities” to determine if there was any damage
Baalbek mayor Mustafa al-Shall told AFP
The castle guards visually confirmed there was no damage but we need experts - engineers and archaeologists - to come look. No one has been able to do so yet because of the strikes,
Khodr said