A Critical Reading of UNSC Resolution 2347(2017) on Unlawful Attacks Against and Looting of Religious and Historic Sites

On 24 March 2017, the UN Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted Resolution 2347(2017), whose operative part, inter alia, affirmed that directing unlawful attacks against sites and buildings dedicated to religious, educational, art, scientific or charitable purposes or against historic buildings could, pursuant to international law, constitute war crimes, and reaffirmed a commitment to bringing perpetrators to justice. Even though UNSC Members described the resolution as ‘historic’, in reality, Resolution 2347(2017) is a repetition of existing norms, rules, duties and obligations which principally promotes the fight against financing international terrorism acts, and it has some conspicuous omissions.