Israeli forces on Tuesday demolished the headquarters of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) in occupied East Jerusalem.
Led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Israeli forces raided the compound at around 7 am local time and raised Israeli flags over the main building.
Unrwa spokesperson Jonathan Fowler told AFP the move was “an unprecedented attack” on the agency and its premises.
“It constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations,” he said.
Adnan Abu Hasna, Unrwa’s Arabic language spokesperson, said no country had ever removed the UN flag from its offices as Israel had done.
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“The agency no longer has any headquarters, offices or institutes on the ground as a result of Israeli decisions,” he told Al Araby TV.
“Israel has declared its intention to dismantle Unrwa and eliminate the Palestinian refugee issue,” he added.
Israel’s foreign ministry defended the demolition, accusing Unrwa of links to Hamas.
“Unrwa-Hamas had already ceased operations at this site and no longer had any UN personnel or activity there,” the ministry said.
It claimed the compound did not enjoy immunity and said its seizure complied with Israeli and international law.
Ben Gvir described the demolition as “a historic day for sovereignty in Jerusalem”.
“Today, these terror supporters are being kicked out along with everything they built. This is what will be done to every terror supporter,” he said.
The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate called the demolition “a dangerous escalation” and a direct attack on a UN agency protected by international immunity.
Israel Unrwa ban: How Palestine’s health, education and food services could collapse
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In 2024, Israel’s parliament passed a law banning Unrwa from operating in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The legislation revoked a 1967 agreement allowing the agency to operate in Israeli-controlled areas, a move critics say violates the UN Charter and international law.
UN and humanitarian experts have warned that the ban could have severe consequences for millions of Palestinian refugees who rely on Unrwa services.
The ban also raised fears that this may be the first step towards Israel trying to strip Palestinian refugees of their refugee status.
Unrwa serves around 5.9 million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
It is the main UN agency operating in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, overseeing the majority of aid distribution in the enclave.
In Gaza, much of the strip’s 2.2 million population depends on Unrwa for food, shelter, healthcare and education. Smaller aid groups rely on their distribution networks to operate.
