War's Systematic Erasure of Cultural Heritage in Gaza, Ukraine, Iran, and Lebanon

Simon Jenkins, a Guardian columnist, argues that modern warfare now systematically targets cultural heritage to eradicate a people's identity. He cites Unesco reports of 545 historic buildings destroyed or derelict in Ukraine, including 156 religious sites and 43 museums, with notable damage to Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra complex, St Sophia cathedral, and sites in Odesa and Mariupol. In Iran, Isfahan's Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Jameh mosque, and governor's palace have been partially destroyed, along with Tehran's Golestan palace and an 1,800-year-old fortress. In Gaza, over 80% of buildings are damaged or destroyed, including the Great Omari mosque and the fifth-century church of St Porphyrius, with archives and museums such as Al Qarara museum lost. Lebanon's Tyre and Beaufort fortress have also been damaged. Jenkins contrasts this with WWII Allied efforts to protect Italian monuments, and notes the Hague Convention of 1954 and the 1972 Cultural Property Convention have become ineffective. He highlights the World Monuments Fund's Crisis Response Program, which has completed 26 projects in Ukraine, as a positive effort. The piece calls for international action to preserve cultural heritage amidst ongoing conflicts.