TEHRAN - A group of prominent Israeli and international archaeologists, researchers, and museum curators has issued a stark open letter condemning the widespread destruction of cultural heritage in Gaza and the West Bank, accusing the Israeli government and military of violating international law and engaging in a policy of “annihilation.”

The letter, signed by scholars including Tel Aviv University’s Prof. Rafi Greenberg and others, cites the recent total destruction of a building housing the archaeological storerooms of the prestigious École Biblique in Gaza as a triggering event. The incident necessitated the urgent, partial relocation of tens of thousands of archaeological items, with the full extent of the damage still unknown.

“This is a continuation of the policy of destruction and annihilation in the Gaza Strip that has also targeted heritage sites,” the letter states. It references reports indicating that approximately 110 historical buildings, archaeological sites, and other cultural properties have been severely damaged or completely destroyed in Gaza, “mostly with no known connection to military needs.”

The scholars assert that such actions contravene the rules of warfare as set forth in international conventions, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, which Israel has ratified.

The letter broadens its criticism beyond the current conflict in Gaza to address the long-standing situation in the West Bank. It describes “ongoing Israeli violation of international law in the occupied territories” and constraints on Palestinian archaeological authorities, which have led to the “neglect of many cultural properties, their appropriation by nationalist elements, and their partial or complete destruction.”

In view of what they call the “imminent planned destruction of Gaza city,” the signatories issue a three-point call to action to the Israeli government and military:

Immediately stop the demolition of the Gaza Strip, the destruction of its cultural treasures, and the attempt to cleanse it of any presence other than Jewish.

Resume adherence to international law, particularly conventions dictating the treatment of cultural heritage during armed conflict and occupation.

End the rule of settler gangs and the ongoing annexation of heritage sites in the West Bank and enable Palestinian archaeological enforcement in areas under the Palestinian Authority’s control.

The letter concludes by framing the heritage of the region as a shared responsibility, stating, “The heritage of Palestine/the Land of Israel belongs to all the natives of the land... Muslims, Christians, and Jews have lived in this land and sustained it for centuries and millennia: It is our duty to maintain the heritage of the land in all its diversity.”   The open letter adds a significant voice from the academic and heritage community to the growing international concern over the preservation of cultural history amidst the ongoing conflict.

AM