Yemen’s Antiquities Authority pleads with UNESCO to protect heritage from Israeli bombing

SANAA, Sept. 11 (YPA) – The General Authority for Antiquities and Museums in Sanaa has issued an urgent plea to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), calling for the protection of Yemen’s historical sites from Israeli airstrikes.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the authority reported that the raids on Sanaa caused extensive damage to the National Museum, putting its valuable artifacts at risk. It noted that the museum houses thousands of archaeological pieces that are part of shared human heritage.

The authority demanded that UNESCO intervene immediately, citing the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, of which UNESCO is the primary guarantor.

The statement also condemned the “criminal” attack on a vital cultural landmark, urging the international community to document these acts as violations against human heritage to ensure the perpetrators are held accountable.

The authority emphasized that protecting Yemeni heritage is a matter of protecting the memory of humanity.

YPA