Entertainment
News from the Orient – 5th June 2026
In this week’s news from the Eastern Churches, produced in collaboration with L’Œuvre d’Orient, we look at the role of Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle over the centuries.
The image has gone viral: an Israeli flag flying atop a medieval fortress in Lebanon. But why is this place so symbolic?
Beaufort Castle, also known as Qalaat al-Sharif, has towered over the valleys of southern Lebanon for nearly 900 years. Built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, its strategic location makes it a prized asset for every power that sought control of the region.
Yet Beaufort is more than just an ancient stronghold. It is also a site steeped in modern conflict. During Lebanon’s civil war, it became a stronghold of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and a major target for the Israeli military. In 1982, after fierce fighting, Israel seized the castle and raised its flag there for the first time.
It remained a military outpost until Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000.
Today, more than two decades later, the reassertion of control over Beaufort is being framed as a turning point. While its military significance may be limited, symbolically, this mountaintop fortress represents more than a strategic bastion. It embodies the memory, conflicts, and power struggles that have defined this region for centuries.
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