05/29/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NCCAR Calls for Urgent International Assessment Following Reported Strike on Beaufort Castle (Qalaat Al-Shaqif) in South Lebanon
The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) expresses profound concern following credible reports that Beaufort Castle (Qalaat Al-Shaqif), one of Lebanon's most significant cultural and historical landmarks, was struck during recent Israeli military operations in South Lebanon.
Located in the historic region of Jabal Amel, Beaufort Castle stands as a symbol of Lebanon's rich and diverse cultural heritage. For centuries, the fortress has overlooked the Litani River and served as a witness to the region's complex history. Its preservation is not only a Lebanese concern but an international responsibility.
The castle is among the Lebanese cultural properties granted Enhanced Protection under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Second Protocol. This designation represents one of the highest levels of international protection afforded to cultural heritage sites during armed conflict.
While the full extent of the damage has yet to be independently assessed, reports that a protected cultural site may have been struck raise serious concerns regarding compliance with international humanitarian law. UNESCO is reportedly reviewing available information and satellite imagery, while international observers continue to assess the situation.
International humanitarian law imposes clear obligations on all parties to an armed conflict to respect and protect cultural property. These protections exist because the destruction of cultural heritage extends beyond physical structures; it threatens collective memory, identity, and the historical continuity of entire communities.
The protection of cultural heritage is not a political issue. It is a legal obligation recognized by the international community and a fundamental principle of international law.
NCCAR therefore calls upon UNESCO, the United Nations, States Parties to the Hague Convention, including Canada, and the broader international community to:
• Conduct an urgent and independent assessment of the reported damage to Beaufort Castle;
• Publicly disclose findings regarding the condition of the site;
• Reaffirm the protections afforded to cultural heritage under international humanitarian law;
• Ensure accountability where violations of international law are established;
• Expand emergency monitoring and protection measures for vulnerable cultural heritage sites throughout Lebanon.
This issue should matter deeply to Canadians. Canada is a State Party to the Hague Convention and has consistently advocated for the protection of cultural heritage in conflict zones around the world. The same principles Canada has defended in response to attacks on cultural heritage in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Mali, and elsewhere must be applied consistently wherever cultural property is threatened.
Cultural heritage belongs to all humanity. When sites of exceptional historical significance are damaged or destroyed, future generations lose an irreplaceable connection to their collective past. The destruction of cultural heritage erodes identity, weakens communities, and diminishes humanity's shared inheritance.
The international community must not allow Lebanon's cultural heritage to become another casualty of war through silence, inaction, or the selective application of international law. If the reported strike and resulting damage are confirmed, the loss will extend far beyond Lebanon's borders and will represent a loss to humanity as a whole.
The people of South Lebanon, and future generations everywhere, deserve nothing less.
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The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to fostering understanding, dialogue, civic engagement, and cooperation between Canada and the Arab world. Through public education, advocacy, cultural programming, research, and community initiatives, NCCAR works to strengthen Canada-Arab relations and promote informed public discourse on issues affecting Arab Canadians and the broader Middle East.
Rania Hamdan
President
National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR)
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.nccar.ca
photo credit the Times
